


Musketeers Initative

by Elenduen



Category: The Musketeers (2014), d'Artagnan Romances (Three Musketeers Series) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alcoholic Athos, Angst, Criminal Porthos, Ex-Monk Aramis, F/M, Graffic Violence, Insane d'Artagnan, M/M, Mentions of Prostitution, Mentions of suicide attemtps, Modern Setting, Self-Harm, Terrorists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2018-09-12 05:44:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 64,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9058213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: A cross between The A-Team and Suicide Squad.In a modern day France which still has a monarchy King Louis and Queen Anne are under threat of terrorist attack and need extreme protection.Their Chief of Security Treville has a unique if rather unorthodox idea To create a team of.....unusual individuals to do this job a team consisting of four very different people with very different back grounds and sanity!.Louis gives the go ahead, Richelieu prays for a miracle, The world will never be the same again!.





	1. Chapter 1

Musketeers Initiative

Merciless  
Unstable  
Skilled  
Killers  
Extreme  
Tactical  
Experiance  
Emergency   
Resorce   
Service

AKA The Musketeers

"This is an insane idea, you do know this?" Richelieu said as Treville presented his plan  
"You want to use dangerous, substance dependant, criminal, and insane persons to protect the King and Queen of France?"

"I do!" Treville dead panned "Four individuals who will go above any beyond any call of duty, who will uses tactics that the sane, that the merciful wouldn't dream of, people who will stop at nothing to achieve their goal, something we need if we are to keep the King and Queen safe from terrorist attack"

Richelieu shook his head opening the dossiers that he had been handed and groaned all the more.

 

Former Lieutenant Olivier d'Athos de la Fere

Skills 

Exceptional leadership qualities  
Making and defusing all explosives  
Qualified armored tank driver  
Fencing

Age 35

Widowed

Orphan

No family

Current status 

Homeless drunk living in the gutters outside off licences and bars following his now late wifes murder of his younger brother five years ago. Said wife had been leading a double life as a criminal which the younger La Fere was planning to expose at which point she killed him, after being confronted by Athos who called the Police, she tried to flee in her car but subsequently drove it off the side of the road and into the ocean.

No body was recovered but death was declared after two years.

Sergent Rene d'Herblay de Aramis

Skills

Sharp shooter   
Expert in all fire arms  
Field Medic first aid trained

Age 34

Current Status

Living as a Monk in the Monastery of Douai following the end of his long term affair with a woman whom he had become deeply in love with.  
Said woman chose no to marry him, terminated her pregnancy and broke off their engagement breaking Aramis's heart leading to his resignation from the military and retreat to the Monastery.

 

Porthos

No last name

Age and date of birth unknown

Street kid who literally grew up in the gutters. First class thief, not a lock of safe he can not pick.  
Boxing, wrestling, and knife fighting skills.   
Employed by gangs as an enforcer  
Feared an respected by the underworld.

 

Charles d'Artagnan

Second level black belt 

Age 22

Current status

Commited to mental asylum following a psychotic break as the result of his Father's murder.

d'Artagnan wittnessed the murder of his Father and Arson attack on his home and went on a revenge killing spree slaughtering the entire gang numbering ten including the notorious Gang land boss Lebarge!.  
At the time of arrest he was stark naked covered in blood, watching cartoons on TV while handing upside down from a punch bag support beam!.

Psychological evaluation is that he is a danger both to himself and others, his moods range from being suicidal to homicidal, child like to sexually provocative, and obsessively neat to violently destructive!.

"And these are the lunatics you want to use to form your team?" Richelieu said rubbing the bridge of his nose 

"Yes!" Treville stated with a bright smile "And his Majesty, in light of the terror threats he is facing has agreed!".


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since everyone seems to be enjoying this fic I've got the second chapter out. I hope you enjoy.

Athos was the first Treville brought to the Louvre. Treville's men had found him slumped in an alley in the pigalle an empty bottle at his elbow which was bent under his head to serve as a pillow as he slept off his nights consumption.

Still half drunk, barely coherant, and stinking worse than sewer in a July heat wave! Athos was half carried into Louvre and was unceramoniously thrown down upon the marble floor a bucket of icey cold water then being tipped over him to both wake him up and make his smell a little more tollerable!.

Spluttering like a cat and swiping water from his eyes Athos sat up on his knees looking about himself while dripping and spitting water!   
"Where am I?, who the hell are you?, what is this place?, what the holy hell did I drink last night?" he demanded in one breath 

"You are in the Louvre palace Monsieur Athos, the home of the King and Queen of France, I am head of Security Jean Armand du peyrer de Treville, as for what you drank last night I can not answer as I was not present during your consumption!" Treville replied in a dead pan voice as he eyed the disheveled Athos with an odd expression on his face, one might think it contemptuous but there was curiosity there too along with compassion and determination.

Athos took two breaths and looked up at Treville quite calmly "I am going to vomit now Monsieur Treville so if you have a bin handy it would be most useful!"

"Bin now!" Treville barked at his men as Athos's face turned several shades of green and he began to gag, the waste paper bin was hardly under him in time before he had bent double and began to throw up everything inside his stomach making everyone in the room besides Treville cringe.

Treville himself mearly blinked at Athos's vomiting and ran a hand through his thinning hair "Brujon fetch him a tooth brush, tooth paste, mouth wash and water" he ordered "Clairmont arrange a shower, clean clothes, a meal, coffee, plenty of water and some asprin!"  
"Yes Captain", the two men hurriedly went to do his bidding while Athos sagged on the floor groaning 

"I think I'm dying!" 

"Not yet Monsieur!, you have work to do before then!" Treville said tossing him a box of tissues from the desk to wipe his mouth with "Work that will be right up your alley, if you'll pardon the expression!"

"My alley?" Athos grunted wiping his face "My alley is my home!, and it's outside which ever bar I finally drink enough to pass out in!" he snorted at Treville derisively "What work could I possibly do for you?, wine tasting perhaps!?"

"Protecting the King and Queen!" Treville replied with a serene smile   
Athos stared at him his eyebrows knitted together in confusion as his wine soaked mind tried to make sense of what Treville had just said "You must be insane" he whispered letting out a small laugh "You want me to protect the King and Queeeeeee!" his last words were lost he tried to point at Treville over balenced and fell face first onto the floor! "I fucking hate hang overs!" he moaned throwing his arms over his head!

"And I have yet to meet the insane one!" Treville sighed as Brujon and Clairmont came back in "Take him to his assigned chambers and dry him out" he ordered them "I need to welcome the Monk, appease the criminal, and hopefully tame the lunatic!, and bring a car round I need to go to the sanatorium.

 

Sanatorium 

 

"I WANT CHOCOLATE CAKE!" 

The scream echoed through the corridor that Treville was led down by Dr Masson and head of the hospital where Charles d'Artagnan was confined 

"Charles you need to come down from there, get dressed, and eat your cereal!" the tired voice of an orderly followed the scream 

"CAKE! I WANT CAKE!"

"You do know he is completely insane don't you!?" Masson asked Treville as they aproached d'Artagnan's room just as a plastic cereal bowl came flying out along with it's contense and spoon! 

"Flying!, I'm flying I'm a flying fairy!" a voice sang from inside the room followed by off key laughter "Fairy cakes, fairys bake the fairy cake want to eat the magic cake!"

"Charles get down from there right now!" 

"Fairy bake the fairy cake want to eat the magic cake!" 

Masson and Treville entered the room to find Charles d'Artagnan swinging back and forth from a rope made of his bed sheet that he had hooked into the ceiling, but the numerous holes and his bloody knuckles it was pretty obvious how he'd done so!.

Stark naked he swung back and forth completely unconcerned by the orderlys in his room as he sung about fairys and cake!   
"Sir I suggest we tranq him, we can't get him down any other way and you know we can't approach him" the orderly said to Masson 

"Why can't you approach him?" Treville asked 

"Because he scratchs out eyes, bites chunks out of faces, snaps bones!" the orderly replied he held up his right hand for Treville to see which was bearing several bite shaped scars and the orderly with him had an eye patch! 

"Do not cross two meters with this one unless he's under restraint" Masson said "He's unpredictable, one minute singing nursery rhymes, the next climbing all over your crotch, and the next trying to tear your throat out before biting open his own wrists!"

"Fascinating!" Treville whispered stepping closer to d'Artagnan despite what the Doctor "Lethal while looking so innocent!, a deadly combination!".

 

Finally remembering he wasn't alone d'Artagnan stopped singing and turned his head his eyes settling on Treville and grinned broadly   
"You gonna come play with me?" he asked stretching out his right leg and pointing his toes "We can play pony!, I'll be the rider and you be horsey!" he giggled and ran his tongue over his bottom lip then flicked it up to touch the top and grinned again stretching out a hand to Treville "C'mon play with me! I'm bored come and play!"

"Captain do not engage.........." Masson urged but was ignored as Treville stepped closer 

"If we're going to play hadn't you better come down from there?" he asked d'Artagnan who continued to swing back and forth then suddenly without warning leaped off the sheet rope and pounced on Treville wrapping his long legs about him and gripped his head with his hands painfully hard as Treville stumbled back falling to the padded floor with an omph! 

"Now I'm down!" he laughed licking Treville's cheek "Now I'm hungry!" 

"Sir!" the orderly cried 

"Don't do anything!" Treville barked "I've got this!"   
"Oh you've got this?" d'Artagnan said "You think you've got me do ya?, think you got me?" his hands ran over Treville's face down towards his throat as a manic glint filled his eyes "Nobodies got me!" he whispered closing his hands about Treville's throat 

"Maybe because nobodies tried" Treville said forcing himself to remain calm "You're bored in here aren't you?, you're a caged bird that longs to fly?", this gave d'Artagnan pause to think and he sat back on Treville frowning at him 

"I'm a bird?"

"Yes" Treville said "A Falcon, a hunting bird born to sore in the sky not to be caged inside a place like this", a dreamy look came over d'Artagnan and he leaned back a smile on his face 

"Clouds!" he breathed "Pretty clouds like cotton candy! I like cotton candy!"

"I'm sure" Treville said "And if you come with me you'll have some and cake, and all the fun you could ever want!"

"Monsieur I beg you he is too dangerous!" Masson pleaded 

"Which exactly why I need him" Treville said keeping very still as d'Artagnan appeared to consider his words, finally a smile returned to his face and he leaned forward planting a kiss on Treville's cheek!

"What are we waiting for lets Go!". 

Monmarte Paris

 

Porthos was snoring lightly his warm breath ghosting over the flesh of his bed partner's belly, a rather dirty unkempt woman with tangled peroxide blonde hair who was silently smoking a joint as Porthos slumbered his upper body covering the lower half of hers while his lower half was covered with a thred bare blanket that reaked of sex, alcohol. Empty cigarette packets, junk food containers, and bottles of wine and spirits littered the bare wooden floor along with varius items of clothing Porthos's included, which when the door to the room was kicked open by Treville's men Porthos grabbed from the floor throwing on his boxers and his t-shirt over his head and made a mad rush for the filthy window which he would no doubt have jumped had it not been for the men already waiting for him there!.

"Bastard perverts!" the women shrieked at them covering herself with her the blanket and bared her teeth at the Men "Come in 'ere t'ave a good look ain't yer?, well yer can pissin' pay fer tha' shit like every other fucker tha' ain't 'im!" she pointed to Porthos who was in the process of putting on his jeans, socks and boots 

"Porthos?" one of the Men asked 

"Never 'eard of 'im" Porthos grunted 

"Of you haven't" Treville drawled entering the filthy room and paying the scowling woman no interest at all "And of course as you have never heard of Porthos you will not be interested in a very lucrative contract that for once in your life will actually be legal"

This of course was different Porthos's interest perked at the mention of money, "How lucrative and what would I be doing exactly?" he asked 

"That we must discuss else where" Treville replied picking up a studded leather jacket and tossed it at Porthos "Now saince you have remembered your name again I hope you will acompany me to discuss this"

"Acompany you to where?" Porthos asked slipping on his jacket 

"The Louvre!"

For the first time in a very long time Porthos was speachless and he followed Treville without even saying a word to his bed mate who cursed him and threw an empty bottle after him before flopping back on the bed and lighting another joint!.

"The Louvre?" Porthos asked getting into the car after Treville which he noted was a very expensive audi with a chauffeur 

"I am Captain Treville chief of security to his Majesty king Louis" Treville said "Of late there have been many terror threats made against his majesty and Queen Anne, too many to say the least, therefore I need to assemble the best defense against such threats I possibly can"

"And yer think I can 'elp with that?" Porthos asked his face wrinkling in confusion

"You are the greatest thief in Paris are you not?"

"Greatest in France!" Porthos grunted before contradicting himself swiftly "I ain't never stole nothin' in me life!"

Treville snickered and shook his head "I don't care about crimes you've comitted in the past I care for your skills, as a thief since you will be able to make The Louvre impregnable, you are a master at body language you can read people weigh up potential threats, and you fighting skills are a force to be reconed with"  
"So I am t,be what? a body guard?" 

"In a sense" Treville said "And something far more".

 

Douai

 

".....and lead us not.....ooh uhh....not into......Gaaahhhd!.....temptation!....but deliver.......de.....deliver us from evil......yes!" Aramis closed his eyes and crossed himself as he came hard and fast into the mouth of the woman who knelt before him sucking him off and gripping his buttocks with her manicured nailed hands 

"Amen!" she whispered licking her lips and looking up at the flushed monk who groaned both in repentance and sation "Why d'you where the cloth?" she asked smoothing the cossak down once more "You are clearly not giving yourself to God alone"

"I give God my heart, my devotion because I know he will not break it to serve his own desires" Aramis replied running his fingers over the wooden crucifix about his neck 

"You've had your heart broken before?"

Aramis smiled whistfully "Dear Adele" he said "Haven't we all?", while his smile was upon her his thoughts were elsewhere, were four years back when he was still a sharp shooter, when he had been in love with his dear Isabelle and believed she loved him too wanted to marry as much as he did and have a life and family together. 

However when Isabelle had discovered herself to be pregnant harsh reality had destroyed Aramis's pretty dreams.   
Far from wanting a happy domestic life Isabelle desired to travel to world, to live the high life without responsability, something Aramis's wages as special forces sharp shooter could provide, a pregnancy, a child would put a serious dampner on the life she wanted and something she could not bring herself to do, and so the arguments started, Aramis saying he'd give up work to care for the baby himself if thats what she wanted which of course she didn't since that would mean she'd have to work as she wouldn't have the money to do otherwise, they could get a nanny, no too expensive, that several thousand a year could far more enjoyably be spent on trips abroad, was there nothing he could say or do to talk her out of the abortion?, No.

Aramis had tried to console himself, tried to keep his grief for the loss of the baby hidden from Isabelle but the strain had been too much on their relationship and the arguments had grown more and more vicious Isabelle's always sharp tongue become truly razor sharp and brutal until finally neither of them could take it anymore and they had ended their relationship.

Aramis had tried to soldier on as it were but he hadn't been able to, not when he heard that Isabelle had met and become engaged to a wealthy business man just two months later, after that he had resigned from the army and gone to the Monastery to devote himself to God and protect his heart from further pain.

He had intended to do so, had meant to devote himself to God, but God while comforting to the soul did little to the body and a man had his needs!, hence his frequent visits to Adele among others!.

 

Taking his leave of the pretty coquettish woman, Aramis returned to the Monastery intending to go and seek penance for his sin but a surprise was waiting there for him in the shape of several of Treville's men who delivered to him a summons to the Louvre and a return to active duty right now!

"But I am a Man of God!" Aramis protested making one of the men snicker

"The Abbot said he would be glad to be rid of you since you not only tire him in your endless sins of the flesh and need for repentance you undoubtedly exhaust the poor God Lord himself!"

Aramis opened his mouth to protest his cheeks colouring in both embaressment and indignation "I think you will find a better calling in Paris Monsieur" the same man said tossing Aramis a change of clothes "And surely your knees will be grateful since you will no longer have to spend so long upon them praying for forgivness everytime you seek physical pleasure!"

Smoothing his hands over his jeans Aramis graced the man with an acidic smile "At least I do not have to pay for such pleasures Monsieur!".

 

Paris 

Treville poured scotch into a tumbler and slumped down into his chair before his desk.

All four of his potential Musketeers were now within the Louvre, Athos was sobering up, Porthos was enjoying take away pizza and watching TV on a 3D screen, Aramis was enjoying the indulgence of a large deep bath and a soft bed after four years of straw cots and tepid water in sinks, and d'Artagnan was using his bed as a trampoline, eating cake, and swinging from the chandelier in the room quite happily!.

"And now I need to mould them into a team if at all possible" Treville whispered to himself downing his scotch in a single mouthful "God bloody help me!".


	3. Chapter 3

Treville had the four misfits brought to him the following morning.   
Athos was washed, dressed in clean clothes, his hair and beard trimmed, and was sober though did not look overly happy about it!.

Porthos was scowling at everyone and everything clearly distrustful of everyone and eyeing all exits in case he needed to escape at some point. 

Aramis looked rather bewildered, uncomfortable in his casual suit trousers, shirt, and dress shoes having worn nothing but a cossak for the last four years!, his hair like Athos's was trimmed and were it not for the gold crucifix about his throat and the rosary about his right hand one would easily think he had never been a Monk at all.  
d'Artagnan was the most worrisome though, he was dressed (More or less) in pajama bottoms that sat low on his hips and a vest top that he had knotted at the front and back leaving his belly bare from just above his navel down.   
He was humming to himself while twirling his fingers in his collar length hair his large doe like eyes staring at the frescoe painted ceiling while constantly shifting from foot to foot as if he were dancing to some tune only he could hear!.

"Good morning gentlemen" Treville greeted with a smile "Naturally you are all wondering why you have been brought here?, and what you will have to do with each other?"

"Well it ain't t'form a boy band now is it?" Porthos sneered "Though Pretty boy 'ere might be good for it!" he nodded to Aramis who rose an eyebrow

"You think me pretty?" he asked with a leer "Ain't so bad looking yourself Will Smith!"

Porthos let out a loud laugh and held out a hand to Aramis which he took and shook "Names Porthos but I like the comparison!"

"Aramis, pleasure to meet you"

Athos groaned and rubbing his eyes "Can I get a bloody drink if all this happy shiny shit's gonna go on for a while?" 

"Nothings shiny" d'Artagnan said looking to Athos with a too wide eyed look "I want it to be but it's not!, the fairys are sparkly!, all sparkly and glittery!" he giggled and looked back to the ceiling humming once more!

"Whats wit' 'im?, he nuts or some'in?" Porthos grunted 

"Completely!" Treville said smiling broadly "Let me make formal introductions. Former Lieutenant Athos, explosives expert both combat experiance. Former Sergeant Aramis, expert marks man and SAS experiance, Porthos the finest thief and enforcer in France, and finally" he paused and sighed looking to d'Artagnan who had made his way to the wall to do a hand stand against it!   
"d'Artagnan, Second Level black belt, certified insane having killed the gang of ten men who murdered his Father and torched his home". 

Aramis, Athos, and Porthos looked at one another, d'Artagnan was too busy with his handstand to bother looking at them!  
"I have brought the four of you together to form a very special unit to protect their Majesties the King and Queen of France. You will live together on the grounds of the Louvre, attend court every day, under go rigorous training to hone your reflexes and so you can learn to work together as a team, to anticipate each other, listen to each other, trust each other. You will have servents from the Louvre attend to the cleaning of your home and to your cooking, you will be provided with monthly salarys of two thousand Euros free of tax!, any and all medical needs will be provided for by the state, do you accept?".

Treville looked impassive as he regarded the four men, d'Artagnan dropped from his hand stand and crossed the floor in a forward roll then sat cross legged on the floor "I want a climbing frame!" he said "One of those big ones with slides and swings and everything!" 

"A climbing frame?" Treville repeated keeping from laughing by the skin of his teeth "Well if it'll keep you from swinging from the chandeliers I'll get one set up for you!"

"No more straight jackets or electric shocks neither!" d'Artagnan said loosing his child like voice and sounding cold and firm "No more injections, stupid questions!"

"Stupid questions?" Aramis asked 

"Probably askin' why 'es nuts!" Porthos snickered looking down at the boy his eyes narrowing "Bleedin' 'ell!, yer the one who killed Lebarge's assholes ain't yer!" he said running a hand through his hair "I knew that bastard and 'is shit 'eads, bunch o' psychos the lot of 'em"

For the first time d'Artagnan looked at Porthos was interest a dark look filled his eyes and a cold smile curved his lips "Dead bunch of psychos now!" he purred

Porthos grinned ferally at him "No offence but you're gaga!, how do I know yer ain't gonna tear me throat open wit' yer teeth in the night eh?"

"Oh I never bite people I like!" d'Artagnan said with sudden wide eyed innocence, well it seemed innocence until his looked turned seductive and he practically leered at Porthos "Unless of course they want me too!"

Porthos chuckled at him shaking his head "I think yer too 'ot fer me t'andle!"

"Too crazy more like" Athos muttered looking to Treville "You really think us capable of becoming a team?, we bunch of misfits?"

"Speak for yourself thank you!" Aramis protested 

"In answer to your question Athos Yes I do think you can become a team, and I insist that you do!"

Athos smirked at him "I haven't accepted yet"

Treville regarded him with an unimpressed look "Rather go on sleeping in gutters pissed out your skull would you?", Athos grunted but said nothing so Treville pressed on "If you wish to leave you may do so now, never to return as this is a one time only offer, but if you stay then you will not regret it  
"Sure as hell won't lack fer entertainment will we?" Porthos declared a broad grin on his face "I'm in!, how's about the rest of you?".

 

Garrison

 

The Hotel adjacent to the Louvre Estate had at one time been a garrison for the Kings soldiers, it had long ago been decomissioned since it was not large enough to house an entire regiment anymore, centurys ago it was perfectly alright for servants to be sleeping on the floor, to live seven or eight to a room, to have no real fascillities. Now of course health and safety requirments had changed much and the building was no where near adequet size for such a large body of men.

This was the building Treville had chosen for the Musketeers to live, refurbished and sporting both an indoor gymnasium, swimming pool, and an outdoor training yard it was large enough to house his four misfits quite well.

As soon as they were through the front door d'Artagnan was charging off to explore each and every room so he might take his pick. He settled on what had at one time been the then Captain of the Kings regiment's office. It was now a first floor bedroom, not overly large though it had an ensuite, but what attracted him was the balconey that had been kept from the original structure.

Happily d'Artagnan declared this his room and began doing acrobatic moves on the balconey wall making Aramis cross himself and pray for his soul!.

He and Porthos chose rooms on the second floor over looking the Louvre grounds. Their rooms did not have ensuite but there was a large bathroom with a bath Porthos said that a family of four could have fitted in! that they would share between them!.

Athos picked a room opposit d'Artagnan's over what had at one time been a stables and was now a garrage containing four Vincent Black Shadows, a Four by Four rough terrain vehicle, and a BMW Convertable!. Porthos had just about wept at the sight of the cars and bikes clearly already keen to get to driving them.

Treville showed them where the kitchen was which was stocked with all the food they could ever possibly want, the dining room, the sitting room, and of course the gym and swimming pool. 

"I'll give you today to settle in and we'll start your training tomorrow" he said "A cheff from the Louvre will be over later to cook your dinner, if you need to reach me just use speed dial three on the phones"

"Don't forget my climbing frame!" d'Artagnan yelled after him running into the sitting room everyone had gathered in and jumped onto the large sofa 

"I won't!" Treville yelled back waving a hand.

 

After the door shut silence reigned for several uncomfortable minutes until Athos rose to his feet "I'm getting a drink!"

"I'm cool for some beer" Porthos agreed "You two?" he asked looking to a cross legged d'Artagnan and Aramis 

"Drinkings a sin" Aramis said then quickly followed it up with a deep groan "God yes I am sick of sacremental wine!"

"What are you a priest or something?" Porthos asked

"A monk, sort of!" Aramis said "It didn't work out!"

"Sounds like an interesting story" Porthos said "I'd like to hear it some day", he cocked his head to the side to look at d'Artagnan "What 'bout you loonytoons!?, wanna cold one?"

"Chocolate milk shake!" d'Artagnan said bouncing up onto his feet "With squirty cream and sprinkles!" 

"You heard the fruit cake!" Porthos said with a laugh "He wants chocolate milk with cream and sprinkles!"

"Sounds good to me" Aramis said following after Porthos into the kitchen where Athos had opened a bottle of pinot sauvignon and poured himself a large glass full, Porthos got a couple of bottles of beer from the fridge for himself and Aramis, he choosing to drink from the bottle while Aramis poured his into a glass, d'Artagnan set about using the blender and making himself a large glass full of chocolate milk shake that he topped with a ton of cream and sprinkles that got onto his nose when he drank from the cup!

"Hey get yourself a straw before you drown in that lot!" Porthos laughed, Aramis tossed him a kitchen towel to wipe his face 

"So whats your story grumpy!?" Porthos asked raising an eyebrow when he realized that Athos had already downed half the bottle of the wine!

"Who says I've got one?" Athos replied 

"I like stories!" d'Artagnan chiruped and setting his milkshake aside he jumped up onto the work surface like a cat and sat in a perch sticking his finger in the cream on top of his milk shake and being to lick it off like a cat licking it's paw!

"You knew the guys he killed?" Aramis asked still a little unnerved by d'Artagnan, Athos didn't seem to care about anything but his wine where Porthos was so layed back he might aswell have been horizontal right now! 

"Aye, right bunch o'bastards, 'specially Lebarge, crazy mother fucker, he was the type that got off on killin' people slow an' messy like" Porthos took a deep gulp of his beer "I'd fight mos' o' the assholes in France but 'im I kep' clear of, weren' gonna take the risk goin' down wit' that lunatic", he nodded his head towards d'Artagnan who'd licked most of the cream from his milk shake and was now blowing bubbles in the chocolate milk then popping them! "He took out that whole gang, ten bad ass bastards!, he killed 'em all after they murdered his Father and burned down his home in front of him"  
Porthos shot a wolfish grin at Aramis and Athos who'd by now finished the bottle and was opening a new one! "Word is that when the cops found loonytoons there he was stark naked, covered in blood and watchin' cartoons on TV!, they say he went crazy from watchin' his Papa die" 

"Nice choice for a house mate!" Athos grunted as Aramis shifted uncomfortably, picking up his second bottle he put another under his arm and nodded at Aramis and Porthos taking his leave of them to go and drink in peace 

"Wanna go check out the cable in this joint?" Porthos asked Aramis who nodded 

"Sure, I've been without TV for four years!", he paused toying with the idea of asking d'Artagnan but the young man involved in a conversation with someone or something only he could see while!, "I guess he can entertain himself!"

"Too right man!" Porthos snickered slapping an arm about Aramis's shoulders "Bet it won't be dull living with him!".


	4. Chapter 4

Aramis and Porthos got the chance to know each other over dinner that night since they were mostly alone to eat the meal prepared for them by the Louvre cheff.

Athos had briefly surfaced from his wine bottles only to disappear again after picking at his food presumably going to his room to drink in solitude.

d'Artagnan it seemed only ate things containing a mass ammount of sugar and turned his nose up at the steaks, baked potatoes, and salad on offer, though he did swipe himself one of the desserts that had been set out before going off to do God knows what while talking to himself or some invisable personage besides him!.

"Are we sure he's safe to have around?" Aramis asked cutting into his steak that had been cooked very rare just as he liked it, Porthos on the other hand liked his so well done it looked nearly cindered!

"Treville's got a nurse tranquilizing him" Porthos replied round a mouthful of potatoe "I 'eard 'em talkin', they're givin' 'im meds t' keep 'im from gettin' too loopy, stuff keep 'im fairly calm without knockin' 'im right out"

Aramis nodded thinking back to what d'Artagnan had been saying earlier about his treatments in the asylum "Hard to think this day in age they still shock people" he said shaking his head "Did they honestly think that frying his brain was going to help him?"

"I gave up tryin' t'figure out why people do stuff a long time ago" Porthos grunted 

"Can't have been easy, growing up like you did" Aramis said making Porthos raise his eyebrows "Living on the streets like that, always looking over your shoulder....it's a hell of a life you've lived"  
Porthos studied Aramis looking for signs that he was taking the piss in anyway, however all he found was genuine curiosity and respect for what Porthos had been through.

"I managed well enough" he said sitting back in his chair and taking up his wine (Amazingly Athos hadn't drunk the cellar dry!), "I was with me Maman till I was five, she taught me well, how to survive" a small smile curved his lips as he spoke recalling his mother "She was a prostitute, fell for me by one of her punters, not a clue who. Her pimp wanted her to get rid of me but she refused, ran from him and where they were living in Orleans to Paris, found a room in one of the many dosses in the slums and had me there" a truly proud smile came over his face now   
"She did whatever it took to put food in my belly and clothes on my back. Turned tricks, lifted wallets, prick teased in a couple of lap dancing joints. But while she stole she always told me to never ever take advantage of the elderly, pregnant women, or children"

"She had standards" Aramis said "A code of honor"

"Aye, robbin' a thirty year old of 'is cash is one thin', all thats gonna get 'urt is 'is pocket, but beatin' up an old lady fer 'er pension?, tha's shit an cowardly, an she raised me t'never be a coward" for a few moments he was silent as he ate his dinner "She died of cancer when I was five left me in the care of an old thief who looked after lots of the kids there, he made sure we 'ad one good meal a day, shoes on our feet an the like, kep' the 'ard men from bullyin' us or perverts from exploitin' us. He taught us tricks an all o'course, pickin' locks, pockets, safe crackin, an 'ow t'defend ourselves if we got int' fights"

"He taught you how to survive" Aramis said nodding his head 

"Aye, people called 'im The Piper" Porthos said with a grin, at Aramis's blank look he explained "The pied piper who summoned the children to him when he wasn't paid for gettin' rid o'the rats"

"And how long did you live with this Piper?" 

"Till I was eighteen, or so I figure" Porthos said "Then I joined my first gang run by a guy called Charon, I was 'is protecter for a long time, till 'e betrayed us" a bitterness came over Porthos as he spoke "I learned then not t'trust someone jus' cuz you've known 'em a long time"

"What happened?" Aramis asked frowning at Porthos who made a bitter grimance

"Our gang always kep' away from drug runnin, pimpin' an the like, we lef' tha' shit t'others, 'specially pimpin', most of us 'ad Mamans who'd been on the game an seen what bastard pimps 'ad done to 'em, we weren't gonna do tha' ourselves. We robbed houses of the rich, ware houses, nicked cars such but we never 'urt people" he paused and offered a wry grin "Well maybe a couple of security guards got some bruisin' now an then!"

Aramis snickered at this and Porthos's cheeky grin which saddly faded as he went on with his tale.

"Charon got too greedy though, 'e wanted more money, more power, more everythin'. At first I didn't realize what was 'appenin', was too close t' see I guess. But by the time I did find out what Charon was doin'.........................bastard made my skin crawl with what 'e did", patiently Aramis waited for Porthos to go on, letting him get his thoughts straight and muster the strength to continue,  
"Son of a bitch was runnin' brothels wit' girls an' boys young as thirteen in 'em!, was payin' teenagers pitances t' drug muel shit int' the country, coke, smack, and crystal meth!, I found out about it all when he moved int' weapons trafficing, bastard was movin' shit t' make bombs fer terrorists! didn't care who got killed jus' tha' 'e got paid!, there were enough explosives t'wipe out half o'Paris an 'e didn't give a shit!"

"Did....what did you do?" Aramis asked recalling a news story several years before of the police receiving an annonymous tip that had led them to a horde of explosives preventing a potential terrorist attack

"I killed 'im!" Porthos said bluntly "We argued, fought, I gave 'im the chance t'run, t'escape an disappear but 'e pulled a knife on me, tried to kill me, gave me this" he pointed to the scar over his eye "But he weren't no match f'me, I defeated 'im, gutted 'im like he deserved!"

Aramis shook his head letting out a deep sigh "I'm sorry" he said genuinely remorseful "I'm sorry that he hurt you"

Porthos shrugged, it was an old wound to him, one he'd learned to live with had grown use to, "After that I didn't join any gang fully, worked freelance as an enforcer and only thieved to fill me own pocket!"

"You've not had anyone close to you in a long time then" Aramis said feeling a pang there since that was so like his own situation of lonliness

"Maybe" Porthos murmured, for several moments he was silent then he looked up with a brighter expression "What about you?"

"Me?" Aramis asked his expression one of amusment and surprise "Not much to tell really"

"Oh c'mon!, first a sharp shooter then a monk there has to be one hell of a story there!"

Aramis grinned reaching for his wine and sipping "It's not so fantastic, I enlisted into the army at eighteen along with a friend I'd grown up with, Marsac" he smiled brightly "He and I were always playing at soldiers when we were kids, wanted to be Captain America you know?, and the A-Team!, we had our own uniforms and plastic guns that fired suction caped arrows!"  
Porthos laughed a rich dirty laugh at the description encouraging Aramis to go on.

"We served together in the ranks for several years before I was singled out to join.....another unit" Aramis didn't say which, he couldn't, he was still bound by the official secrets in regards to that, "Marsac had been trying to get noticed for a while by then, wasn't pleased that I managed it and he didn't"

"He was jealous?" 

Aramis nodded looking sad "We parted on bad terms, he said I'd betrayed him, betrayed our friendship by leaving. I knew he was was only speaking in anger, I didn't hold it against him and wrote to him every week from my new base and continued to when I was shipped out"

"Don't suppose you can say where?"

"Iraq, let that suffice" Aramis said with a wry grin that soon faded "Six months into my transfer I discovered he'd left the army, dishonorable discharge, the details were never revealed to me but he'd been erratic before then, drinking on duty, constantly late or awol, from what I gather there was a fight and he was discharged after that", Aramis ran a hand through his hair and touched his crucifix "I figured that would be the end of his career as a soldier, that he'd find something else to do"

"But he didn't?"

"No, he joined a group of bounty hunters" Aramis said becoming bitter now "There are plenty of that sort in all war zones, seeking out wanted terrorists for a price, dead or alive", he sighed and downed the last of the wine in his glass waving off a refill when Porthos offered "We met again in the desert, he and his......friends were hunting the leader of a terrorist cell me and my company were sent in to.........eliminate. Since the bounty was dead or alive they had no problem with us shooting said terrorists so long as they got to take the bodies back to their employers. Marsac wasn't prepared to sit back and let professionals handle it though, the bloody idiot had to go and show off, show that he was better than me, that he could do anything" Aramis's mouth was pulled into a cruel twist of a grimance and his eyes shone with unshed tears that he forcefully blinked back 

"He broke cover ran for their strong hold determined to be the one to capture the leader, but they had laid mines all around their strong hold with only one safe path in and out that only they knew"

Porthos closed his eyes easily able to imagine what had happened to the hapless Marsac even before Aramis confirmed it 

"He was blown limb from limb, I saw it, saw him scattered in pieces, blood all over the sand", Aramis sniffed and swiped at his eyes "All for his vanity, his pride!, if he'd stayed with us it wouldn't have happened, we'd have detonated mines and created a safe path!, but no, not him he had to go in and.................." he shook his head and sighed "I was given compassionate leave after it, my CO was good to me, sent me home to......recover I guess which was when I met her"

"Her?" Porthos asked "Who her?"

"Isabelle" Aramis said "She seemed like my salvation, my fresh start, I wanted to spend my whole life with her, have and do everything with her marriage, a family, everything"

"But it didn't work out?" 

"She wasn't who I thought she was" Aramis said tapping his fingers on the table "While I was head over heels in love with her, she was head over heels in love with my pay check, saw the high wage that my job provided as her way into the jet set life style" sorrowfully he looked up at Porthos meeting his eyes as he spoke "She became pregnant several years ago and aborted the child because she didn't want him or her to interfer with her life style and plans for the future, a future she explained to me was all about wealth and parties and everything material and absalutely nothing that really matters" he looked away from Porthos again shame in his eyes "I discovered that she whom I thought was my angel was nothing more than a gold digging bitch!, who cared so little about me, about our relationship that she met and married some rich bastard within months of our breaking up!" a mirthless laugh escaped his lips "After that I resigned from the army and went to Douai, tried to devote myself to God alone, to give up earthly pleasures..." he looked up again face sparkling with a few tears but an impish smile quirking his lips "But I wasn't very good at giving up earthly pleasures, especially pleasures of the flesh!, Rosey Palm and her five sisters are alright but.......one gets tired of self service!"

Porthos let out a filthy laugh making Aramis chuckle too "What a pair we are eh?" Porthos laughed "And who'd have thought our paths would ever cross?"

"Not me thats for sure" Aramis said rising and getting the wine, thirsty now from speaking, he refilled his own glass and Porthos's before returning to his seat picking at the remains on his plate before they got dessert "Though" he added with a smile "I'm not sorry that we have met, I have the feeling we're going to get on very well"

"Yeah?, me too" Porthos said sharing the grin.

 

Athos woke from an unpleasent sleep in the early hours of the morning, his dreams had been about a car going over the side of a cliff, a beautiful dark haired women smashing through the wind screen her face being destroyed by glass, her neck broken, her body dragged away by the ocean currents. 

He rubbed his face with shaking hands and rose from the bed. 

His mouth was dry and his head was throbbing, a hang over and a need for sustainance.

While he was reluctant to go and eat he was not keen on training tomorrow without having had a meal or two in his belly and so sort out the kitchen to get himself something to eat. 

The steak of course was not an option now but Athos found plenty of options in the fridge to satisfy his needs settling on making himself scrambled eggs on toast since it would be a quick and easy dinner that would fill him but not sit too heavy in his stomach.

He was turning away from the fridge and turned on the kitchen light at last when he found he was not alone.

To his surprise and alarm d'Artagnan was in the kitchen with him, had been sitting there on the counter in silence watching him as he went through the fridge, sitting there bleeding.

A kitchen knife lay by his side the blade bloody and his left arm dripping blood over the counter from where he had cut himself.

"Are you alright?", it was a stupid question since d'Artagnan was clearly very far from alright but it was all Athos could think of saying 

"The dark, the dead are in the dark" d'Artagnan said "The night claims life, claimed Papa" he looked away staring with too large eyes out the kitchen window.   
Athos swallowed hard, on closer inspection he could see that the cuts were shallow surface lacerations not a suicide attempt, a cry for help though, a cry for........perhaps a need for comfort?, something to help keep his demons at bay just as Athos used alcohol?

"Are you hungry?" he heard himself asking "I'm making scrambled eggs on toast d'you want some?, or......you seem to like sweet things I saw nutella in the cupboard how about nutella and banana on toast?"

d'Artagnan looked at him in shock, no one ever spoke to him like that, asked him what he'd like, people just assumed or forced their choices on him, to have someone treating him like this was a very pleasent change, one that had him nodding and jumping from the counter offering to help Athos make the toast

"Lets put a dressing over that" Athos said taking the first aid kit off the kitchen wall and opening it up to take out anti septic wipes and a dressing 

"Don't want blood on your bread" d'Artagnan said sounding fairly sane making Athos smile as he cleaned the cuts, placed plasters over them and them wrapped a dressing about them 

"Not especially" he said closing the box and deciding not to subject d'Artagnan to questions as to why he cut, he wasn't a shrink, wasn't anything but a drunk anymore and far be it from him to mock someone elses method of coping with pain. Instead he set about making them both meals and drew d'Artagnan into the living room to watch whatever they could find on the TV as they ate in a companionable silence.


	5. Chapter 5

The training began the following morning with a wake up call at six am sharp. 

Porthos swore loudly and colourfully at the intercom and threw varius objects at it before finally submitting to the inevitable and rising from his bed to wash his face and brush his teeth and get dressed in a track suit to begin their before breakfast exercise.

Aramis, having been use to rising at five am and sometimes if the Abbot was feeling especially cruel (Pious) four thirty am, was already awake so being called to rise was no difficulty for him and he complied without comment.

Athos snarled, groaned, and made varius whimpering noises as his hung over body protested to the noise and being pulled from the warmth of his bed and the presence of another body.......................wait..........the bed was fine that was normal (Or normal for anyone who hasn't been spending their time unnconcious in an alley every night!. Still it wasn't the bed that was wrong it was the body within it!.

Blinking sticky eyes Athos stared down at his bedmate making out long brown limbs all curled up and a mop of black hair upon and buried head that was tucked under the arms rather like a cat that wants to shut out all the noise and hold onto as much warmth as he or she can.

Dimly at the back of his sleep and alcohol fogged brain Athos recalled eating with d'Artagnan during the early hours and the younger man hooking onto him, (Literally) since he'd latched himself to Athos who'd been too tired to care and had gone to bed with him curling up into a ball and falling asleep which was where he had apparently remained ever since!.

"Noise!" came a muffled grumble from the human lump besides Athos "Bad!, go away!"  
"I don't think it's going to" Athos said "And I think we'd better get up and get ready to train"

"Goning on a train?", d'Artagnan's face appeared looking adorably sleepy with big blinking eyes and a confused expression on his face "Going on choo choo?" 

"I don't think so....."

"Choo Choo!", d'Artagnan was up from the bed in a moment and jumping up and down in excitement chanting about trains under his breath making Athos blush and avert his gaze since the lunatic wasn't wearing any clothing at all 

"Umm maybe you should get dressed?" he suggested 

"Yahuh!" d'Artagnan chiruped, he planted a kiss on Athos's face and skipped off out of the bedroom as happy as a kid in a sweet shop!

"I'm too old for this shit!" Athos muttered hauling himself up and heading for the bathroom to try brush his teeth and try to wake up somewhat.

 

The pre-breakfast training was fairly easy going on them. 

A fifteen minute warm up of stretches, crunches, squats, and lunges kicked them off, then they were sent on a forty minute jog about the Louvre grounds before returning to their garrison for a five minute cool down, showers, and breakfast.

Athos and Aramis found their military training kicking in once again, it had been so ingrained in them during their years of service that even after several years of retirment their muscle memories kicked in and they found themselves doing the warm up and jog with stoic acceptance.

Porthos, while not unfit, had never had any specific training even in a gym, he was use to getting into street fights and running fast sprints to get away from somewhere or something but he was not conditioned for long distance running something that proved a difficulty for him during the jog. He made the classic mistake of starting off too fast as if he were to run a sprint and so ran out of energy after several minute instead of conserving the energy and jogging at a managable pace.

"You will adapt, next time just don't shoot off like a bullet from a gun!" Aramis said to Porthos as they did their cool down stretches 

"Treat it like a marathon not a sprint yeah?" Porthos asked wincing at the aches in his Achilles tendons 

"Got in one"

"Flex your feet up and down" Athos advised to Porthos "And after you shower gently massage your whole calf, ankle, and foot, it helps prevent stree fractures"

Porthos did as he said flex his feet like a ballet dancer which of course got d'Artagnan humming the tune to Swan Lake and leaping about like a ballet dancer with two left feet!

"The run doesn't seem to have affected you too bad Looney Toons!" Porthos chuckled "Are you always this hyper or did you just have a really good night sleep?"

"Slept with Athos!" d'Artagnan brightly replied continuing to pirouette and twirl unaware of the shock he had just caused.

 

Athos blushed as both Aramis and Porthos turned to stare at him in complete shock, avoiding their eyes he became very focused on his trainer laces and the mud on the soles of his trainers.

Aramis chuckled a wicked grin spreading over his face "It's always the quiet ones!" 

"He's not quiet he snores!" d'Artagnan oh so helpfully put in 

Athos groaned wishing very hard that the ground would open up and swallow him whole!, where was a singularity when you needed one!?

"I've heard of moving fast but Damn!" Porthos teased 

You could fry bacon on Athos's cheeks now and his glare could have curdled milk at ten paces!, "We just slept" he growled "Nothing more, he curled up in bed with me after we ate"

"After you ate what!!!?" Aramis leered wiggling his tongue sending Porthos's in hysterics and increasing Athos's embaressment 

"Drop dead!" he grunted scraping up what was left of his dignity and headed for the shower ignoring the cat calls and wolf whistles after him!.

 

 

Sweaty, thirsty, and hungry they all quickly showered and redressed in clean track suits for their next bout of training and went back down to the kitchen for breakfast including d'Artagnan who had been stopped from his impromtue ballet and taken for a shower by a very Matter of Fact Porthos who carried him over his shoulder with utter ease stripped him down and gave him a good shower wrapped him in a towel and sent him to get dressed.

"I knew a kid who was kinda "Simple" when I was growin' up" he explained to Aramis who had been curious about Porthos's actions, "He's needed remindin' t'do things everyday, washin' eatin', otherwise he'd fall into one of 'is obsessions an wouldn't eat or drink at all!"  
"And you took care of him" Aramis said with a smile seeing that beneath the layers of back street bad ass armour that Porthos bore to protect himself from being hurt there lay a huge and very warm heart 

Porthos shrugged looking embaressed "We all did" he mumbled refusing to meet Aramis's eyes, smiling a huge smile he slapped him on the shoulder "Lets got eat yeah?, I'm bloody starving!".

 

Breakfast consisted of proteins and complex carbohydrates to replenish their energy and give them lasting energy through to lunch.

Ravenously hungry Athos, Aramis, and Porthos happily devoured their bacon and eggs, porridge with berries, and drank orange juice as well as coffee. 

D'Artagnan however turned his nose up at the savory food and could only be persuaded to eat the porridge after cocoa powder, and an ungodly amount of sugar had been mixed in along with a blob of nutella in the middle that melted down to form a delicious sweet treat at the end of the porridge.

"How's he stay so skinny when he consumes so much sugar?" Aramis asked enviously 

"Because thats all he eats I expect" Athos said managing to add some berries to the porridge which d'Artagnan ate happily 

"That an he's bouncing off the walls all the time!" Porthos chuckled "You ready for more training Fruit cakes?" 

"Theres still no train!" d'Artagnan replied "Want to go on choo choo train!"

"I'm afraid there is no choo choo train but your climbing frame is being delivered today" Treville said joining them in the dining room "Enjoy your run did you?" he asked while d'Artagnan cheered for his climbing frame bouncing up and down on the table, apparently he had a problem with the chairs and so sat cross legged on the table to eat!

"Oh yeah I enjoyed it as much I enjoyed a case of syphilis!" Porthos drawled choking Aramis who was drinking his juice and made Athos snicker 

Treville smiled a glacial smile that promised pain in their future, a lot of pain.

"I'm glad to hear that Porthos since you've got an assult course to tackle this morning!, then there will be boxing before lunch, after which you'll be doing several lengths in the pool and finally some time on the gun range"

"Assult course?" Aramis asked while Athos just groaned

"Yes, much the same as the marines use!, however I won't be expecting you to make it in a required time yet nore carrying any equipment" Treville replied 

Aramis smiled in relief, a relief that was short lived by Treville's next words

"We'll save that for next week!"

Damn It!. 

 

d'Artagnan proved to be the most adept at the assult course. His boundless energy and child like enthuseasm had him running at top speed to tackle the netted ropes, the high wooden wall, the tarp sheets, crawling under barbed wire, dodging mines, running across narrow beams and swinging over pools by ropes.

The only problem came when he was supposed to swing across with the rope and he chose to climb up it like a monkey and hung up there for the better part fifteen minutes making monkey calls until Treville was able to entice him back down with a promise of getting him chocolate chip pancakes for lunch!.

"He probably thinks it's all a game" Porthos panted next to Athos and Aramis as they took time to drink water and recover before they went boxing "What happened to his arm anyway?, he didn't have a bandage yesterday"

Athos glanced to where d'Artagnan was talking to someone or something only he could see, dressed in a T-shirt that was so thin it may aswell have been invisible the bandages on his arm were plain to see.

"I found him last night cutting himself" Athos replied 

"What!?" Aramis gasped looking horrified at the notion of someone inflicting harm to themselves like that 

"He was sitting in the kitchen in the dark cutting his arm" Athos explained "Said something about the dark killing everything, about his Father dying in the dark"

"Jesus" Porthos breathed shaking his head but Aramis looked angry and advanced on Athos with a dark scowl

"Why the hell didn't you tell us?, why didn't you call for help?".

 

If he had hoped to be intimidating by this then he failed completely as Athos regarded him the way one would regard an annoying dog yapping at your feet and replied in a very clipped aristocratic voice "I do not believe that I am answerable to you!"

This disdane only served to further enrage Aramis and he pushed Athos hard in the chest making him stagger back "How dare you show such disregard for another persons life!"

"Hey!" Treville bellowed "Thats enough of that!" he strode over glaring at both Aramis and Athos, "What the hell is going on?" he demanded looking at the four men for some explaination, Porthos just shrugged looking mildly amused, d'Artagnan had yet to finish his conversation with his invisible friend!, Athos folded his arms over his chest looking away clearly finished with the whole matter even though Aramis was still rigid and almost shaking with anger

"I am waiting!" Treville barked 

"Athos put d'Artagnan in danger" Aramis snapped lifting his chin defiantly when Athos shot him an incedulas and perhaps slightly wounded look "He let him cut himself and didn't tell anyone"

"I bandaged his arm" Athos ground out "The cuts were shallow and didn't need stitching, I didn't see the need to tell anyone about this"

"He needed help!" Aramis cried

"The same as he was getting at the assylum?, being locked up and given electric shocks?" Athos fired back 

Aramis had the grace to look disquieted at this but still persisted "You should have at least let us know, we're living with him too, we need to know if he's a danger!"

"To himself or to you?" Athos inquired, the posh sneering tone back 

"Alright thats enough!" Treville ordered "Arguing about this isn't going to change anything, d'Artagnan sometimes self harms I already knew that, as for him being a danger to the three of you?, from what I know he only lashes out when he feels threatened"

"Maybe we could have the knives in a locked draw that he can't get into?" Aramis suggested 

"He could still break a window, or take a safety razor apart" Porthos offered 

"Who's side are you on!?" Aramis cried looking offended that Porthos wasn't backing him up 

"No ones but mine" Porthos replied a wolfish grin on his face 

"Clearly!" Aramis spat at him before turning scowl at Treville "Fine you want to risk that poor boys life on your own head be it, but if we find him with his throat slashed open one morning don't say I didn't warn you!", turning he stalked away obviously not about to return to training anytime soon 

Athos snorted indelicately "Still think you can make a team out of us!?", following Aramis's lead he stomped off most likely to start drinking leaving only Porthos and a confused looking d'Artagnan left 

"Did Aliens kidnap Mis and Thos?" he asked worriedly his bottom lip trembling, slinging an arm about d'Artagnan's shoulders Porthos pulled him into a hug 

"Nah Kid they're just off in strops thats all, so hows about you and me go do some boxing eh?, give 'em time t'calm down?, maybe you can teach me some of those fancy ninja moves of yours eh?" 

"Okay!" d'Artagnan agreed happy once again 

Following behind them naturally worried about the fact his team wasn't coming together as he'd hoped Treville sighed praying that Aramis and Athos would put their differences aside and learn to work together, because if they didn't then the team was over before it had even began.


	6. Chapter 6

"Under the sea! Under the sea!, darling it's better down where it's wetter take it from me!"

Porthos snorted and shook his head as d'Artagnan loudly sang songs from The Little mermaid at the top of his lungs, even managing to do a fair rendition of Ariel and managing to flap his legs about as if they were a mermaids tail and insisted that there were dolphins in the pool with them, though while Porthos was given the title of Flounder poor Treville was named Ursula the sea witch!. 

"I can keep an eye on fruit cakes here if you want to go and talk to Aramis and Athos" Porthos offered watching out of the corner of his eye as d'Artagnan rose from the pool padded around to the diving board and proceeded to dive into the pool once again 

"Theres no need" Treville said "They need time to cool off before I speak to them"

"What if they leave though?" 

Treville smiled at him "Why would they?, what have either of them to go to if they did leave?, Aramis is no Monk, he was suffocating in that Monastery, and Athos?, he was living in gutters pissed out of his skull!, neither of them have anyone or anthing to turn to, they may not be sure of this team but both are intelligent enough to know that leaving here would be worst thing they could do"

"NO!"

The loud negative exclaimation made both Porthos and Treville turn to d'Artagnan who was violently shaking his head   
"Athos not leave, Athos stay!" he stated scowling darkly then he pulled himself from the pool and ran from the room dripping wet and since he seemed to have an aversion to swim wear stark naked!

"Uh...should we go after him?" Porthos asked a little bewildered

"That might be a good idea!" Treville said feeling rather like a cat herder at present, juat what had he got himself into here!.

 

Athos was sat working his way through a bottle of wine when Aramis came into the lounge his eyes red and puffy from crying.

After their argument he had gone to his room and sobbed long into his pillow. 

It wasn't that he disliked Athos, or Porthos for that matter, he had nothing against either of them. It was his fear for d'Artagnan, of what d'Artagnan might do to himself that had brought about his ire. 

After he had seen what Marsac had done to himself, running head long into a field of land mines and gotten himself blown to pieces Aramis could not help but to feel frightened when it came to people taking risks, being reckless with their own safety, certainly people self harming like d'Artagnan was. He had often wondered if there was something he could have done for Marsac, some way he could have helped him and prevented his foolish run into danger just to try and prove something.

If he could prevent d'Artagnan from doing something similar, help him in anyway then he had to try, however that did not mean he had to be discourteous to Athos and others.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Athos asked suddenly making Aramis realize that he had indeed to standing still for several minutes without moving, colour came to his cheeks and he wet his lips clearing his through 

"I wanted to appologise" he said "I am sorry for what I said I had no right"

Athos snorted and poured the last of the wine into his glass and took a mouthful "It hardly matters, I seem to destroy everything around me it would be better if I were to leave before I end up destroying all of you"

"No!" Aramis exclaimed his face creasing "I don't want that!, and......I doubt very much that you destroy people!"

"How would you know?"

"I know what it is to loose people you love!, I know what it is to hurt so much inside that it feels like you will die for the pain!", Aramis surged forward and joined Athos on the sofa to take his arm "I saw my best friend commit suicide by running through land mines!, my fiancee, the woman I thought I would spend my life with only took up with me for the money I made as a sniper, and when she fell pregnant she aborted the baby because she didn't want it to get in the way of her partying!", Aramis let out a choked noise and shook his head "I ran to the Monastery to hide from the world, from pain and further betrayal, but it brought me no peace all I was doing there was stagnating not living, I didn't start living again until I came here! and......" he paused looking pointedly at Athos's wine "I don't think that you have been living either, not really"

"Maybe" Athos said looking at the wine and setting it down on the table breathing out heavily "I'm sorry about your friend, and your.......partner, I know what it is like to be betrayed by a woman", resting his forearms on his knees he looked at Aramis from the side, "My wife murdered my brother and killed herself, drove her car off the side of a cliff into the sea"

"My God!" Aramis whispered "I.....I don't know what to say"

"What is there to say?" Athos grunted turned his head again to look at the floor "They're both dead and all that is left of my family is me, a broken drunk who leaves devestation in his wake!, I'm no good for anyone..."

"NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!", the screaming banshee that was soaking wet and stark naked burst into the room and flung himself onto Athos's lap clinging onto him so tightly that Athos struggled for breath! 

"d'Artagnan!" he forced out past the damp brown arm about his throat

"You can't leave I want you here!" 

"I don't.....uh could you loosen your hold I'm struggling to breath!" Athos coughed trying to ignore the fact that d'Artagnan was naked and pressed right against his crotch! 

"You can't go!" d'Artagnan whimpered nuzzeling Athos's neck "You're the only one who listens to me, the only one who cares what I want!"

"Only leave destruction in your wake?" Aramis dryly inquired watching the spectical of d'Artagnan snuggling into Athos's lap with some amusment 

Athos gave him an unimpressed look resigning himself to having his wet limpit clinging to him tightly and groaning as Porthos and Treville joined them especially when Porthos burst into laughter at the sight of the wet naked d'Artagnan curled up on his lap

"This is......interesting!" Treville said 

"d'Artagnan's rather insistant to make Athos stay" Aramis said 

"So it would appear!"  
"Looks like you'll have to stay with us!" Porthos chuckled to Athos who was pinned to the couch by the insistant d'Artagnan clinging on to him

"d'Artagnan....as flattered as I am that you want me to stay I...I hardly think that this is appropriate" Athos said trying to get d'Artagnan to release him 

"Don't you like me?", doe like eyes gazed at Athos as d'Artagnan lifted his head and stared at him his face a picture of misery 

"Of course I like you" Athos said feeling very out of his depths here, he'd never been much good with words, with dealing with matters of the heart even before everything that had happened with Anne, now five years on he was struggling to remember how to have normal conversations let alone anything like this!, "I like you very much d'Artagnan, I simply think that you should....get dressed before you catch cold" 

"Oh?", springing up like he was kangaroo d'Artagnan sped off to go and get dressed as Athos had encouraged him to do 

"Looks like you've got yourself a fan there" Porthos snickered at Athos who lay his head back on the couch staring at the ceiling 

"Is......is he alright to be forming attatchments?" Aramis asked Treville "He is....capable of consent?"

"Consent!?" Athos cried "We may have shared a bed but nothing else has happened!"

"But it could lead to something more, and it looks like d'Artagnan may want it to" 

"He is capable of saying yes or no and knowing what he's agreeing to or refusing yes" Treville said "Whether or not a sexual relationship is a good thing for him?, I haven't the faintest idea, what I can say is, from what I learned about his time in the assylum he never formed friendships or attatchments to anyone, staff or fellow inmates, so the fact he has become so close to you in so short a time would suggest to me that He genuinely feels something for you"

"Perhaps, but that doesn't me that I will persue it" Athos said reaching for his wine but paused and leaned back again not quite in the mood to get drunk "Now can we please drop the subject?", before anyone had the chance to respond d'Artagnan bounded back into the living room redressed and flung himself back onto Athos's lap planting a kiss on his cheek before settling down like a cat and flicked on the tv to a cartoon channel and began giggling at the show 

"Well we can drop the subject but I'm not sure he can!" Porthos snickered.

 

Chateau de Rochefort

 

It had taken several rather painful operations to repair all the damage done to her face by the crash.

She had staged the crash yes, had planned to drive the car into the sea but there were things that had been beyond her control, the force of the water smashing the wind screen, the airbag failing to deploy and as she hadn't been wearing her seat belt she had smashed her face into the steering wheel which had shattered her nose, fractured her cheek bones, and knocked out her front teeth. 

The glass from the windscreen had given her several cuts, a massive one on her throat which left a scar that no amount of surgery could heal, the cuts on her face however they had been able to deal with and now five years on, her nose rebuilt, cheeks repaired with implants, dental implants replacing her lost teeth, and laser surgary removing the scars from her face she looked as good as she had ever done, the scar on her throat was easily hidden with a scarf or a choker and with that in place no one would ever think she had ever been in an accident at all.

This was of course what Milady de Winter wanted, why she emptied her secret swiss bank account to pay for the best treatments to repair the damage done to her body. 

Saddly though the costs had left her penniless and brought her here now into the service of the Comte de Rochefort.   
When she had been married to Athos under the name of Anne de Bruiel she had both money and security, all added to by her private (illegal) work, had it not been for the interferance of Thomas she would not be in this position now, having to work for a man intending regicide.

The Comte was a prominant figure at the royal court, on the privy council and fully involved in all the intrigues at court. 

However he was no lover of the royal house of Bourbon, of King Louis, he was a radical, he wanted to destroy the monarchy and create a republic, but of course not so anyone could put themselves up to be a president, he would make himself president of France, a King in all but name, he would claim the Kingdom for himself and rule until his death, for he would never allow anyone taking his place and would fight to the death to keep hold of his postion.

 

Milady had no such plans for herself, in fact she couldn't care less if Rochefort achieved his ambitions or not, all she wanted was the money he was paying her, and the estate and fortune he would grant her on taking governership of France. She would support him to get him that far but after she had gotten her payment she would do nothing to help keep him in power.  
She could not say she liked Rochefort much, nore that she thought he was entirely sane!, she was however loyal, at least until a better offer came along!.

Sighing and forced a smile to her face and went into the Comte's study where he was drinking wine while looking over his stock accounts  
"You have secured yourself a position with the First Minister?" Rochefort said without preamble, he was not one for nicities, he preffered to be get straight to the heart of the matter instead of beating about the bush

"I am working as one of his private secetarys" Milady replied "The tragic mugging and murder of Adele Bisset opened the position quite nicely, and it appears Richelieu is partial for long legs and good bossom!", she looked down at her sharpely legs that were clearly displayed in the short skirt and stillettos she wore alone with the matching suit jacket that was perfectly low cut enough to show off the sinfully tight corset style blouse she wore beneath to push her breasts up and out to their full advantage.

"Good!" Rochefort said dismissively not even bothering to look at her body the way every other man and several women had done!, "Treville is up to something, Richelieu knows about it, people have been moved into the house on the edge of the estate" he said finally looking Milady "Find out who they are, what they are there for, and what Treville is up to"

"I will do my best" Milady said a meaningless smile on her face "I'll be in touch shortly Monsieur le Comte".


	7. Chapter 7

Athos sighed and lifted the bed covers as pitter pattering feet entered his bedroom for the sixth night in a row.  
Within moments d'Artagnan was burrowing under the covers and snuggling against him with his head over his chest.

"You'll be making people talk continuing to do this every night" he said to younger man 

"Talk talk blah blah!" 

"Right!" Athos said rolling his eyes and shaking his head all but giving up on d'Artagnan ever letting be alone for more than half an hour!, not that he didn't appreciate having a warm body in his bed once more (And sleeping in a bed not a gutter), it was very pleasent to be cuddled up to d'Artagnan who seemed to wrap his long limbs all about him and cling like an octipus providing extra warmth and a sense of comfort as he slipped off to sleep. 

His presence also seemed to quell the nightmares that had haunted his sleep, not once had he dreamed of his wife and brother since d'Artagnan had joined him in bed, his dreams (Not that he could recall them), must have been peaceful while he slept with d'Artagnan.

Sleep was all that he was doing, that he made very clear to a sniggering Porthos and a teasing Aramis who'd apparently gotten past his reservations about d'Artagnan's ability to consent, Athos was not intending to take this...........whatever it was any further than friendship, d'Artagnan's attentions to his morning errection not with standing!.

Twice now Athos had awoken to having his cock swallowed in sinful warmth and suckled by very eager lips and an impossibly flexable tongue that swirled, lapped, and teased his flesh until he was spilling down d'Artagnan's throat.

For a few moments Athos was lay in bliss content with his whole world fully relaxed and sated. 

Then he'd feel like the lowest pervert on the planet!.

Able to consent or not Athos just didn't feel right doing anything sexual with d'Artagnan, not that the boy had been interested to have anything reciprocated, after sucking Athos off he settle back up on his chest and get another half hours sleep before getting up properly.

What he felt about this, what he believed their relationship to be Athos didn't know and wasn't sure he knew how to ask, or even wanted to know the answer.  
What if d'Artagnan thought he was in love with Athos?, with his fragile mental health he needed someone far more stable than Athos to be with, Athos was battling his own addiction, was struggling everyday with the desire to drink himself unconscious, although the training and companionship was helping with that, keeping himself distracted by activity helped keep him from thinking about alcohol and lessened the risk of falling into the bottle. 

He hadn't gone totally dry, but he was only allowing himself a glass or two a day of wine, spirits, or beer. For him to have an evening meal without a glass of wine made it incomplete, it was like chips without salt, or a peanut butter sandwich without jam!. 

d'Artagnan it seemed never drank alcohol, but considering his cocktail of anti-depressants, tranquilizors, and mood stabilizors that was probably a good thing!.

Athos was willing to admit that he was attracted to d'Artagnan, that he found his insanity endearing rather than frightening!, but he wasn't willing to take things any further for fear of hurting d'Artagnan, damaging him more than he had already been damaged.

However as warm long legs wrapped about him and arms tightened over his chest Athos had to struggle to remember his resolve especially when d'Artagnan peppered his chest with kisses and made a purring noise in his throat before settling to sleep.

 

While Athos and d'Artagnan fell asleep together with little difficulty Porthos found himself suffering insomnia.

For a while he just tried to fight it, rolling over, flipping his pillow, counting sheep!, but after an hour of this he gave up and turned the light back on and flipped on his tv to channel hop and try to find something to watch that would help lull him to sleep.

Settling on an old black and white movie set during WWII Porthos folded his arms beneath his head and watched the fuzzy black and white characters on their terrible sets and snickered at the worse "Special Effects". 

He managed to watch about half an hour of the film before realizing that he was thirsty and decided to go and get a drink.

 

"Holy Mary Mother of God Pray for us Sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen" 

The whispered prayer was coming from Aramis's rooms attracting Porthos's attention   
as Aramis didn't finish there but went on with the next Hail Mary.

Pausing by the door he knocked a little hesitantly so as not to startle Aramis, the prayers stopped abruptly 

"Who is it?" 

"Porthos"

"Come in".

 

Opening the door Porthos entered in time to see Aramis finishing his last prayer and crossing himself before rising to his feet   
"What can I do you for?" he asked with a lobsided grin 

Porthos snorted "Ain't that my line?"

Aramis grinning wider "What has you up so late?"

"Insomnia actually, but I'm also thirsty, was on my way to the Kitchen when I heard you praying" Porthos explained looking down to the rosary beads in Aramis's hands "You do this every night?"

"And first thing in the morning" Aramis replied 

Porthos's eyebrows rose in surprise at this, he'd never known anyone especially religious, people didn't have much time for God in the neighbourhood he'd grown up in save for the lunatics who screamed that the appocalypse was imminant!. But Aramis wasn't a lunatic, nore was he a Monk anymore so Aramis's piety was confusing to Porthos.

"I know I'm not in the Monastary anymore" Aramis said with a grin easily guessing Porthos's thoughts "And though a Monastic life did not suit me I still believe in God, in his love and wisdom, praying brings me comfort, makes me feel closer to God"

"Close to God?", Porthos gave a huff of breath through his nose "I doubt he even knows my name!"

"Nonsense!" Aramis declared 

"Ah how could he know me?, I ain't been baptized, ain't never been t'Church, don' know no prayers or anythin' like that"

"That doesn't matter!" Aramis said, at Porthos's doubtful look he went beckoning Porthos to come and sit on the bed with him.

"In the old days it was believed that if a man was not Baptized, was not named to God and sworn into his flock then he was damned. But those days are long past, along with burning Witches and Heretics!. Today it's more believed that a man's choices in life his actions are what will define if he will go to Heaven or hell whether or not he attends Church"

"Even if he's taken lives?" Porthos asked "Even if he's a thief?"

"If he seeks to make amends for his past then yes, and there is more than one type of killing" Aramis said "One kind if plain murder in cold blood, the other is killing in the defense of another or yourself, one is unforgivable, the other is a necassery evil that can be forgiven"

"By confession?"

"If you wish" Aramis said, he held up a hand as Porthos drew breath to speak again "I am not a priest I can not take your confession or absolve you, you need to seek a priest for that"

"But you can teach me the prayers can't you?, teach me about the Bible?"

"I.....yes, yes if thats what you want" 

"I think I would like it" Porthos said "I would like to....feel closer to God, the forgiving God you believe in"

"Forgiving and loving" Aramis said "And it'll be a pleasure to teach you, would you like to start now?"

"Sure, umm, I can get a drink first right?"

Aramis giggled and nodded jumping up to his feet "Might be nice to have a hot cocoa for myself too!, and maybe some biscuits!, I swear I saw some bourbon creams in the cupboard"

"Not getting a sugar addiction like our resident fruit cake are you?"

Aramis snickered "I think not!"

"What beats me is how he remains so skinny eating so much sugar!"

"Probably because thats all he eats, his body's having to use all the sugar for energy to make up for the lack of anything else"

"Not good for 'im though is it?, a risk of diabetes ain' it?"

"Perhaps but doubt anythings going to change his pallet anytime soon".

 

Hot Chocolate made and a plate of biscuits filched from the kitchen they went back upstairs to Aramis's bedroom where he took out a spare rosary from his bedside locker and gave it to Porthos.

"You wrap the beads about your hand thus" he directed showing Porthos how to do so "And as you pray you clasp the crucifix between your hands"

"Do I close my eyes or keep them open?"

"Your choice" Aramis said "You cross yourself with the right hand starting with the forehead then down to the breast bone then to the left shoulder then the right shoulder and finish with a kiss upon your fingers"

Copying Aramis Porthos crossed himself and clasped his hands getting on his knees beside him 

"Alright repeat after me. Our Father who art in Heaven.........."

 

With Aramis's guidance Porthos went through the Lords prayer and Hail Mary then curled up on the bed with Aramis to drink the hot chocolate and munch biscuits with Aramis teaching him the Ten Commandments until they fell asleep.

 

Aramis was the first to wake and smiled as he saw Porthos laying besides him softly snoring, he was a very good looking man, rugged and earthy rather than clean cut and polished.

There was an open honesty to him that appealed to Aramis after the deception of Isabelle. Porthos was very much a "What you see is what you get like it or lump it" kind of man, he was honest about who and what he was and didn't try to dress it up or hide it under pretty words and false masks. 

Reaching out Aramis gently ran his finger tips over Porthos's jaw wondering what it would feel like against his cheek and chin while kissing him, taking a breath Aramis leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on those wide lips intending to pull back but Porthos's strong arms wrapped about him and he found himself flipped over and pinned to the bed! 

"Well this is a nice way to wake up!" the former thief chuckled "Being molested by a former Monk!"

"I wasn't molesting you!" Aramis protested his cheeks colouring 

"No?, pity I might have enjoyed it!" Porthos snickered "Now?, d'you want to enter into some shared molesting?"

"I'd rather call it something else!"

"Groping then!, rutting!, fu.......", Porthos was cut off as Aramis's lips crashed into his silencing him wonderfully while their hands enjoyed some shared "Molesting" as Porthos had called it!.


	8. Chapter 8

Treville had held out as long as he could, had managed to keep his misfits away from prying eyes and even succeeded in keeping them from blowing up/burning down their home!, he'd started to mould them into a team, had them managing to cross the assult course carrying equipment and a message in twelve minutes, able to handle a range of fire arms (That d'Artagnan was never to be left alone with since he took a liking to the P90 and decorated the ceiling and walls in a shower of bullets!).

Treville had managed to do all this but there was still one thing he had yet to do.

Introduce them to Louis and Anne.

 

He had been dreading this introduction since Louis had all the tact and self awareness of a sledge hammer and his team were.......less than normal, and that wasn't counting d'Artagnan's attachment to the chandeliers which he liked to swing from!. 

For six weeks he had managed to keep his Musketeers to their garrison and away from the palace, but no more.

Today was the dreaded meeting, a formal presentation before the King and Queen at their Afternoon Court.

 

Treville had toyed with the idea of uniforms such as the other palace guards wore but didn't really want his men who would be operating more under the wire than in public view to stand out so much, he considered suits such as Louis assisstants and other security officers wore but doubted he'd get d'Artagnan or Porthos into them without a struggle, so in the end he opter for something simple. Dark blue/grey leather jackets tailored to fit with spaces cut into them to hold weapons and hide wires, and on the right shoulder he had fleur dis lis embossed onto the leather with Louis motto written underneath.

"This is sweet!" Porthos declared slipping on his jacket and admiring the rich expensive leather 

"Better than a penguin suit eh?" Aramis said "Though I think I'd look good as a James Bond myself!"

"Vanity is a sin!" Athos added dryly and rose an eyebrow at d'Artagnan who had yet to put his jacket on at present he was sat cross legged on the floor sniffing it! "I don't think it's going to hurt you" he said to the lunatic who looked up at him blinking owlishly 

"Smells nice" 

"Feels preety good too Looneytoons why don'tcha try it on?" Porthos said to him 

d'Artagnan appeared to consider this for a moment then shrugged and slipped the jacket on "Smooth" he purred "I'm a biker now!" and before anyone could stop him he was making moterbike noises and running around at top speed!

"We're never actually letting him drive right?!" Aramis asked as d'Artagnan leaped up onto the table and summersaulted off making a crash noise! 

"Nah I don't really fancy broken legs!" Porthos agreed as d'Artagnan raced past them to charge out of the house to his beloved climbing frame, when he wasn't sleeping with Athos he would be taking naps there in a hammok he'd made for himself using bed sheets which he'd tied to the metal bars that were used to swing across by the hands.

"So we're meeting the King and Queen?" Athos said to Treville "We have to bow don't we?"

"Yes" Treville confirmed "You'll be announced and presented to their majesties and when you reach the dais you bow until bidden to rise, don't speak until you are bidden to speak and always reffer to them as Majesty, and when you are dismissed you bow again and walked backwards till you are ten paces away and then you can turn round"

"What a bloody hassle!" Porthos grunted 

"Um should we perhaps try and change d'Artagnan's clothing before we go?" Aramis asked, d'Artagnan was wearing a pair of shorts that were in fact so short they should be illegal not to mention the eyes that were painted onto the buttocks of the shorts with glittery elongated lashes, and a ripped T-Shirt with the words HOT SH*T emblazened over the front, all of this was teamed up with a pair of doc martins and sagging woolen socks creating a very mismatched outfit

Treville looked at his watch and silently cursed "We don't have time, he'll have to do as he is, and we need to get going" 

"Well they know he's insane don't they?" Athos said "It's not going to be too much of a shock for them"

"I'm a chimpanze look at me! I'm a chimpanze so happy and free! come and swing through the trees with me!" 

"I take it back!" Athos sighed pinching the bridge of his nose as they stepped out into the court yard to be greeted with the sight of d'Artagnan swinging by his knees upside down from the metal hooped tunnel of his climbing frame!

"I guess he'd the King of the Swingers!" Porthos snickered "Hey! we're going to see King Louis ain't we!?"

Aramis snorted while Treville shot him a disapproving look "Please don't reffer to the King of France as an over groan orangutan from Disney!"

"Well I'm the King of the Swingers the Jungle VIP I reached the top and had to stop and thats whats bothering me!" Porthos sang under his breath while Athos went to get d'Artagnan down, thankfully he had a secret weapon with which to do so, (A packet of Reeces peanut butter cups) and before very long d'Artagnan was sat on his lap in the car munching on his chocolate peanut treats quite happily!.

 

 

The Throne room was as always busy with courtiers and Louvre staff, members of the Privy Council and of course Richelieu, his private secetary and one of his personal assisstants who today happened to be Milady.

The Usher announced the arrival of Treville and the Musketeers making the hall fall quite and the courtiers parted like the Red Sea as Treville strode in with his Musketeers behind him Athos keeping a firm hold of d'Artagnan's hand to keep him from running off to the climb the damn curtains or something!.

"Ah Treville I was hoping you'd be gracing us with your presence today, you've been absent too long" Louis said with a pout, Treville had been devoting his time to training his Musketeers and so for the past six weeks hadn't been at court as much 

"I appologise Majesty and shall hence forth show better attendance" he said bowing to his King and Queen "Majesties may I present our four Musketeers"

"Olivier d' Athos de la Fere, Rene d'Aramis, Porthos, and Charles d'Artagnan"

The four stepped forward and bowed as they'd been told to, Athos pulling d'Artagnan down and continuing to hold him since his wide eyes had made a beeline for the Queen's diamond tiara and he was likely to go and try to take it since it was "Sparkly"

"Rise" Louis commaned sitting forward on his throne and looked over the men curiously "So you're my new body guards?" he said "Bet anyone will think twice about threatening me again eh Armand?" he said to Richelieu who gave a sickly smile 

"Assuredly sire" the first Minister replied, behind him Milady was hiding herself, her heart had frozen in her chest when she'd seen Athos.   
What were the chances that she would run into her ex-husband here of all places?, that he would be one of the men working with Treville?, it was like a cruel joke to suddenly have him thrown back into her life when she was so close to clawing back everything she'd lost.

Keeping out of sight she watched him intently as he stood before the King. He looked older than she remembered him, more worn, he had more lines about his eyes and on his forehead than five years ago, and perhaps the start of some grey in his beard and hair. He was perhaps a little heavier too though certainly not flabby, he looked to have added a healthy layer of flesh to his frame that was likely covering firm muscle.

She knew that she too looked different, while the surgeons had repaired the damage to her face it was not exactly as it had been before, her eyes were now more cat like and she had a gap between her front teeth which were replacements for the ones she'd broken, her hair style was also totally different, back then she'd worn it in a shoulder length bob died chestnut with some red streaks in it, now she had grown her hair much longer and was a darker brown with no red in it at all.

It was strange she thought, considering all she'd lost to Athos and his Brother that she should feel anything but hatred towards Athos, yet as she looked at him she felt herself warming with familiar desire for the man she had loved. 

Part of her longed to go to him, to hold him again and have him hold her, to fall into his arms kissing and tipping her head to the side so he could kiss her throat as he used to, a throat that was now hiddiously scarred thanks to his brother forcing her to wear scarves and chokers to conceal the blemish from sight.

As much as she might feel some desire towards Athos her anger was greater, and even stronger than that was her lust for wealth. No matter what she would have to get rid of Athos and soon, he was a threat to her plans, to Rochefort's plans, a threat that she herself would eliminate.

"You were to become a Monk I believe Monsieur Aramis" Queen Anne said "How did you go from a cloistered life to serving as a body guard for his Majesty and I?"

Aramis smiled one of his devestating smiles that made women go weak at the knees and Anne was no exception to it's charm "I am afraid Majesty that I could not give up pleasures of the flesh so easily!, God is well and Good, but he does not keep your bed warm at night!"

A ripple of amused laughter ran round the court even Anne herself laughed at that inclining her head 

"Sparkly I want one!" d'Artagnan loudly proclaimed tugging on Athos's arm as he tried to go to the Queen and get the tiara he'd taken a liking to "I can be a sparkly fairy like the preety Queen!"

"This is the insane one I believe?" Louis asked looking to Treville, Richelieu looked to be praying to the heavens while the Queen appeared both shocked by d'Artagnan's demand and curious about him 

"Nutty as a fruit cake Majesty!" Porthos oh so helpfully put in before Treville could "Be glad he's tried t' sit on yer lap or swung off the chandeliers yet!"

Treville looked like he was about to have a heart attack while Louis laughed   
"We'll have some entertainment then!" he declared slapping his knee 

"Does he have any idea of what is going on?" Richelieu asked looking at d'Artagnan like one might regard a smelly dog with muddy paws thats leaving a mess on your recently mopped floor 

"He is a second level black belt" Athos said unexpectedly coming to d'Artagnan's defense "Perhaps a demonstration?", tugging on d'Artagnan's hand he got the young man to look at him "We're going to spar, I'm to mock attack you, your job is to get the weapon from me and protect the King and Queen right?"

"Right" d'Artagnan said suddenly snapping out of his day dream and into the present

Athos took his mobile phone from his pocket "Pretend this is a gun"

"Why don't we make it more interesting and have us two involved aswell?" Aramis suggested getting out his phone as did Porthos   
"So we've all got Guns and it's three against one"

"Bang bang" d'Artagnan whispered his eyes steel like and body like a coiled spring waiting to move at a seconds notice.

 

Everyone stepped back to give them space to work. The three stood before d'Artagnan Athos in the front with Porthos and Aramis flanking him, d'Artagnan moved onto the balls of his feet making it seem like he was about to run forward only the second they took aim to shoot where he should have been running he was flipping over and landing on Athos legs first taking out the "Gun" with a solid kick to the arm and winding Athos with a knee to the chest which was increased as he hit the ground hard. Aramis was next as d'Artagnan landed on his right foot and spun round kicking out with his left hitting Aramis in the thigh knocking him off balence which had no time regain before d'Artagnan was on him twisting his arm painfully and prizing the "Gun" from his grasp and beat him to the ground with a blow across the back of the neck leaving just Porthos who'd aim he avoid by performing a forward roll across the floor then wrapped his long legs about Porthos's waist in cobra like grip pulling the larger man down and straddled him aiming both Aramis's "Gun" and Porthos's beneath the mans chin!

"Bang bang bang!" he said 

Louis immediately applauded as the Musketeers rose with groans wishing d'Artagnan would learn to pull his punches and retrieved their phones from him   
"Excelent! less than two minutes to neutralize threats! insane or not he's perfect!" 

"A perfect nut!" Porthos muttered rubbing his aching sides 

"And I think that display deserves a reward" Louis declared, from his blue silk sash he unpinned a magnificent broach with a grape sized sapphire in it's centre "d'Artagnan this is yours!" he said holding it out to the young man who bounded up like a Puppy for a treat 

"Preety!" he said and actually kissed Louis hand before bouncing away to the window in which he perched to admired the sparkles in the light 

"How come he gets that when we're the ones who get our arses kicked all over the floor?" Porthos grumbled into Aramis's ear 

"Because lifes a bitch!" Aramis replied with a grin "Though I'll kiss it better for you later!" 

"If your Majesty could excuse us, we have plans to make for the Ambassador of Spain's visit at the end of the week" Treville said 

"Uh he's such a bore!" Louis complained while both Anne and Richelieu groaned wishing he'd learn diplomacy and keep his mouth shut at times!, "Very well, but I want us all to have a meal together, Sunday in fact"

"Your Majesty has Church service on Sunday" Richelieu said "You'll be expected at Notre Dame"

"In the evening Armand!, these four will make much better dinner guests than a load of stuffy politicians and diplomats!" 

Richelieu thanked God that were no press present since Louis's words would have managed to make several front pages at that point and outraged God knows how many nations!, there was a reason that all his public speaches were written before hand!, Athos however spoke up 

"If I may your Majesty, d'Artagnan only eats sweets, he won't touch anything savory at all"

Louis eyes lit up at this while Anne sighed deeply, already the royal physician was worrying about Louis collesterol and the Royal dentist about his teeth!, this just gave an excuse for more sugar!  
"Wonderful!" he proclaimed "We'll have a feast of sweets!"

"Wonderful Sire!" Anne sighed mentally planning to have the cheffs at least try to make Louis diet in the days before healthy to make up for the ungodly amount of sugar he'd likely eat on Sunday, honnestly at times she thought it was more like being wed to a child than a grown man!.

As the Musketeers left Anne made her excuses to Richelieu to leave aswell citing a need to go and powder her nose.

Once in one of the many toilets she took out her phone and called Rochefort to relay the news to him.

"You're sure it's your husband?"

"Ex-husband and of course I'm sure" she said "Treville's brought him in to be part of some elite unit to protect the King, one of them's a black belt and completely insane!"

"He'd have to be to be working with Treville!" 

Milady rolled her eyes "The Ambassedor of Spain is arriving Friday theres a grand reception for him what d'you want to do?"

"Me?, nothing yet, I need to speak with Perales about Spains agreement to support me when I seize power, you on the other hand I expect to remove this husband of yours, quickly and quietly, I don't want any press involvement just kill him and get rid of the body"

"Right because people get killed at the Louvre all the time!" Milady muttered "Fine I'll deal with it, but if you want my advise for what its worth, don't under estimate this lot, they're a lot tougher and more cunning than they look".

 

Garrison

 

The four Musketeers sat at the dining table looking over a map of the Louvre ballroom where the grand reception would be held 

"Porthos you're good at picking locks and moving in the shadows aren't you?" Athos asked 

"Best mate" Porthos replied 

"Than you can search every room, every safe, and every piece of luggage brought in" Athos said "Keep hidden from view but search out each and every person so if anyones hiding anything we'll know about it even if it's just a taste for porn!"

Aramis snickered at that and wiggled his eyebrows at Porthos suggestively "If theres a tape bring it back with you!"

"Rather do it than watch it pet" Porthos said 

"Creates a mood though"

"If you two could think about something other than your sex lives!?" Athos ground out with a deep sigh "And d'Artagnan can you please pay attention?" 

"Huh?" came the response from d'Artagnan as he performed a head stand on the table! 

"Where the hell are you going to position him?" Aramis asked 

"Chandeliers actually!" Athos said making both Porthos and Aramis gape "I've decided to put his skills to good use, nobody will be looking up there and it'll give him a birds I view of the whole room. Treville's having ropes tied along them so he can move from place to place without anyone seeing him or even suspecting he's there" 

"Brilliant" Porthos said impressed 

"And you and me?" Aramis asked "What'll we be doing?"

"We will be under cover" Athos said "I have a Noble descent and Claim to a Comtedom" he held up his hands as the Ooohhhs started "We can use it for our advantage, I will be the Comte de la Fere for the night and you'll be my Private Secetary, we'll be in formal dress and blend into the crowd and can easily roam the halls without rousing suspicion"

"Ah guess you get to be James Bond after all!" Porthos laughed slapping Aramis's shoulder while he smiled smugly 

"Doesn't that make you my Bond Girl though!?"

"Hey I ain't nobodies Girl!"

"Are we clear?" Athos asked folding up the map while d'Artagnan righted himself 

"Is there anyone we're looking for inparticular?" Aramis asked 

"Treville says no, so we treat everyone with suspicion until we've proved them innocent" Athos replied "And with luck nothing will happen and we'll be home without any trouble"

"Famous last words" Porthos muttered "Lets not jinx it"

Athos smiled "What could possibly go wrong!?".


	9. Chapter 9

"The names Aramis, Rene de Aramis!"

Athos rolled his eyes at the husky drawl that Aramis gave along with a smoky look from his impossibly dark eyes.   
Dressed in a sinfully well fitted tux he made a good James Bond something he was playing up to as he sauntered about the room 

"Lookin' good pretty boy" Porthos said with a grin as he wrapped a bandanna about his head, he was dressed head to foot in black which teamed up with his dark skin would have him blend into the shadows as if he were never there at all, "Don't you go confusing me for one of the brainless Bond Girls though, I don't faint into no ones arms!"

"No doubt he does that himself!" Athos dryly offered shoving past Aramis to check his bow tie in the mirror 

"Gotta say I ain't never had a thin' for formal wear but you wearin' tha...damn!" Porthos purred pulling Aramis to him "I'll enjoy stripping it off you later!"

"Hm maybe I'll leave the bow tie on and get some gold paint!, we can recreate Gold Finger!" Aramis breathed leaning into Porthos and would likely have initiated a deep kiss had Athos not ruined the mood 

"If you cover yourself in gold paint you'll kill yourself!" he said turning round from the mirror "I think you death would put a rather large kink in your romantic plans"

"Not if it's body paint!" Aramis sneered "And God knows our resident lunatic has every other colour known to man"

"Speaking of" Porthos said walking away from Aramis going to the door out of which he stuck he head and yelled "Yo Looneytoons time t'go!"

"I hate to think what he's done to himself" Aramis sighed shaking his head and braced himself as there came the sound of running footsteps down the stairs and d'Artagnan appeared in the sitting room.

 

Unlike Aramis and Athos who were in Tux's and Porthos who was in dark clothes to hide in the shadows d'Artagnan was covered head to foot in body paint save for a skin tight T-shirt and pair of shorts that were also painted, even his hair was sprayed in different colours leaving him looking like a walking rainbow!.  
For once this was not just an act of lunacy but of practicality, the ceiling he would be swinging from was covered in frescoes, so the best way for him to blend in was to be covered in colours.

"Gonna fly!" he enthused jumping up and down "Gonna fly with the fairies!"

"Why not?, you're away with 'em anyway!" Porthos snorted 

Athos grabbed hold of d'Artagnan's T-shirt and pulled him round to face him "Now you know what you've got to do?, this isn't a game it's important" 

"Yes Sir!" d'Artagnan shouted snapping to attention well enough for a soldier and saluted Athos "My eyes are peeled like onions for all bandits and brigands Sir!" 

"Bandits and Brigands?" Aramis repeated raising an eyebrow while Athos handed d'Artagnan a bag of reeces chocolate peanut butter cups for him to munch on while he was swinging from the ceiling

"Lets get this show on the road then" Athos said "Everyone got their ear pieces?"

"Reading you loud and clear" Porthos said tipping him a mock salute 

"We're good" Aramis affirmed, d'Artagnan just hummed and looked starry eyed 

"Alright remember the code word for trouble is sapphire" Athos said straightening his suit jacket once more "Well here goes nothing, with luck we'll be back here by Two Am"

"May God be with us all" Aramis whispered crossing himself and following Athos out of the door to the car.

 

Saint Germain

 

Milady stood before her full length mirror admiring her floor length gown of white.

Few women could wear white well, for most people it either washed them out or was too unflattering to their figures for them to pull it off, Milady however had a strong enough skin colour to truly wear white and a shapely enough figure to look good in it.

The gown she wore was backless with thin straps of silver that crossed over her back and a trimmed empire waist line, and a floor length skirt that was split up the left leg to the middle of the thigh which would show a provocative flash of tanned skin as she walked and her legs looked especially good in her four inch stillettos.

She had spent hours on her hair and make up, styling her hair up into a fifties beehive that she had decorated with a white fascinator, her eyes were made up in smokey grey eye shadow and kohl stick which made them look wider and darker, her lips were painted in a shockingly bright red that very few women would dare to wear and her face was carefully painted in an expensive concealer foundation to cover the few scars that still remained from the car crash and to give her an even skin tone, then covered over in a powder that took away any shine and finally her cheeks highlighted in a pleasent pink/brown blush.

She looked like a typical sophisticate, well dressed and groomed, no one would know that on her right thigh she was concealing a gun or that she had poisoned darts stuck inside her adeasive bra cups!.

"As lethal as I am beautiful" she purred slipping a white faux fur stole over her shoulders and picking up her clutch bag went to the door and down the stairs to her car tonight she would kill Athos and help push Rochefort's plans forward.

 

Louvre

 

Aramis found himself feeling horribly out of place as he rubbed elbows with what felt like half the worlds elite, politicians, royalty, and nobility, as a natural flirt he was able to hide his feelings beneath a charming smile and the gift of the gab but he still felt very uncertain about these people to whom this life of privledge was normal not novalty.

"You're doing fine don't worry" Athos whispered in his ear via the ear piece, he had noticed Aramis's nervousness and sort to reassure him as best he could, in truth he felt just as out of place among these people. While he was Comte de la Fere he had always tried to keep some distance from society having no ambition to spend his life in the lime light downing champagne and eating canapes while talking about politics and scandles with people who smiled and wish you well even as they stuck a knife in your back!.

"Anyone we need to keep an eye on yet?" Aramis asked back accepting a second glass of champagne from a passing waiter who was dressed in eighteenth century livery 

"Not yet" Athos replied his gaze on the King and Queen

Louis was dressed in a white silk suite that had clearly been made to fit, a dark blue sash crossed over from his right shoulder and a heavy jeweled gold chain with a Sun medalion lay upon his shoulders as a nod to the late Sun King of the seventeenth century, of course he also wore his crown upon his head and the ring of sovreignty among others upon his hands. 

While some men may have looked grander and imposing in such jewels Louis looked swamped by them, diminished by their weight and size as if he were struggling to support them and himself. Of course he was not a tall or broad man, he was built quite slightly in fact and did not suit such chunky jewels at all.

The Queen looked beautiful in an understated but very attractive gown of gold, unlike many of the other women at court she was not showing off as much flesh as was legal, while cut low enough to show some clevage the bust line was modest but not severe and the thin shoulder straps ran down just below her shoulder blades so the gown was not too low cut at the back either. Unlike Louis heavy jewels she wore on a small diamond necklace and matching ear rings aside from her crown so she did not look overtly extravegant, over her arms she wore a filmy gold shawl and she maintained an enigmatic smile as she spoke with the guests working in tandem with Richelieu to keep Louis from saying or doing something diplomatically suicidal!.

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with C!" 

"Pay attention d'Art" Athos scolded 

"I am!" came the petulant response "And I spy cake!" 

Athos groaned turned towards the six foot cake that was on display, it was an incredible culinary creation of fluffy sponge, rich butter cream icing, and decorative fondant icing forming the Louvre palace and decorated further in spun sugar and gold leaf.

To Athos's horror d'Artagnan swing down from one of the ropes hung upside down and snagged himself a piece of the roof before climbing back up to his hide out!   
"Yummy!" he declared 

"Behave yourself!" Athos sighed exchanging a longer suffering glance with Treville, "Porthos?, hows it going?"

"Bloody nightmare!" Porthos grunted in disgust "Bleedin' perverts!"

"What?" Aramis whispered 

"Some tosser of a diplomat, he's got freaky porn in his luggage, an you don't even wanna know 'bout the toys!"

"Obviously he's not a suspect so I suggest you move on" Athos said 

"It can't get much worse can it?" Aramis snickered

"Wanna bet?" Porthos grumbled "Should'a seen wha' was in some dried up old bint of a politicians luggage!, dirty old bitch!"

"Just carry on we'll be sitting down to the first course in five minutes" Athos said draining his champagne cup and placing it on a tray 

"Yipee for you!, meanwhile I go through stashes of porn, drugs, and sex toys!" Porthos muttered "For the record I want hazard pay having to go through this lot, and when we're done I want a large meat lovers pizza with extra cheese!"

"I want Ben and Jerrys!" d'Artagnan stated "Phish Food likes Phishes!" 

"Duly noted!" Athos said "Over and out for now!".

 

The dinner was eight courses in length one thin soup, one fish courses, a chicken course, a meat course, a dessert course, a slice of the cake, then cheese and biscuits, and finally coffee, liqures, and small chocolates and sweet biscuits to finish.

While it seemed like a huge amount of food the portion sizes were actually very small so much so that they probably ate no more than one would at a three course meal. 

"Should we have them save d'Art a piece of cake?" Aramis asked as he cut into it with a tiny dessert fork 

"I think with his Ben and Jerrys he'll be sugar hyped enough!" Athos replied reaching for his wine and looking down the table where he saw a woman who looked a little too familiar for him to be comfortable 

"What?" Aramis asked following his line of sight "D'you know her?, the woman sitting beside Richelieu?"

"No" Athos said shaking his head "She..........she just looks like......someone I use to know"

"Hey heads up guys" Porthos said into their ears "I can't get into this Rotchfort guys room, he's got double security both inside and out, no way I can get in"

"It's pronounced Rochefort" Athos corrected looking down the table to where the Comte in question was sat talking to a diplomat from Greece 

"Odd that he wants so much security" Aramis mused 

"Not necassarily" Athos said "He's not a well liked man, he has plenty of enemies and considering the terror attacks on The King he is probably just being over cautious"

"Or he has something to hide" Aramis countered 

"Well the matters moot right now, I can't do jack" Porthos stated "I'm gonna go on to other rooms"

"Alright, dinners coming to an end soon, we're nearly done"

"And without any attacks!" Aramis stated "I think we can congratulate ourselves on a job well done!" he signalled the waitor for another glass of wine to drink to toast this

"A bit premature" Athos commented wryly 

"Yeah don't you go jinxin' it!" Porthos said.

 

As dinner ended everyone went through to the ball room to enjoy dancing and talking Milady made very sure that Athos saw her clearly as she slipped out into the gardens as if she were going to have a smoke or get a breath of fresh air.

Knowing she had his attention and that he would have to follow through curioscity she drew him down from the palace across the dark lawn removing the gun from her thigh and fixing a silencer. 

Once they were far enough away she stopped and rested her weight on one hip a small smile on her face as Athos drew closer  
"Hello Olivier" she purred "I'll bet you never thought you'd see me again did you?", with a cold calculating smile she turned round to see her horrified husband who had no time to react as she took aim and fired the gun.


	10. Chapter 10

Athos knew he should have informed someone that he was suspicious of the woman in white, that he was tailing her, that he was leaving the Louvre to go into the gardens in case he needed back up. However in the heat of the moment few people think clearly and Athos was no exception.

Without even really thinking about it he followed after the woman who looked far too much like Anne for his comfort. While he knew Anne was dead, had been declared dead years ago he couldn't help but feel uncertain, after all no body had ever been found, Anne had been declared legally dead after two years, so there was a possibility that she was alive no matter how slim that might be.

Despite the height of her stilletos the woman managed to walk quite fast down the lawn and Athos found himself jogging to keep from loosing her until she came to a sudden stop and spoke to him, her voice chilling his blood and freezing his heart even more than her words

"Hello Olivier, I'll bet you never thought you'd see me again did you?".

 

It was sheer chance that as Anne turned and fired the gun in her hand that Athos's left foot hit a small hole in the ground tripping him up. The motion of the fall changed the angle his body was in and the point where the bullet hit buying him a life saving half an inch as it hit just above his heart and would no doubt have killed him out right had it hit where Anne had originally aimed.

Athos hit the ground on the front groaning as the air was knocked out of his lungs leaving him unable to howl of the burning pain of the gun shot would in his chest, his fingers curled into the grass and his toes dug into it as he spat blades from his mouth and tried to suck enough air into his lungs to gain the strength the move but the best he could manage was to lift his head and gaze at the face of his wife.

It was not the face he remembered, the face that haunted his dreams, it was changed, the jaw was sharper, the cheeks higher, nose narrower, her hair a different style and colour than she had worn it five years before, but it was her, there was no doubt now about that, those cat like green eyes, those lips the top slightly bigger than the bottom, the movements of her body, the tone of her voice they were all the same, they were all Anne de Bruiel, the woman he had thought dead, the woman who had torn his life apart, the woman who had now shot him and still had a gun leveled on him.

"That was supposed to kill you" Milady said looking down at Athos "If you hadn't fallen it would have"

"I'm sure" Athos said coughing and tasting blood on his tongue, by the pressure he felt on his chest his lung had been punctured which explained why he was having so much trouble breathing 

"I've thought about doing this for the last five years" Milady said sinking down on the grass before Athos and pressing the barel of the gun against his head "Thought about ending your existance the way you ended mine!"

"You...you look......awefully good for......someone who's existance has..........ended" Athos forced out spitting blood and caring nothing for the fact it got onto Milady's white gown and was sure to stain "How....?"

"How did I survive?" Milady asked "By the skin of my teeth" she said "I drove off the cliff on purpose, faking my death, but things didn't go quite how I had planned" she smiled ruefully and stroked her own face "Not quite how you remember hm?, the airbag didn't deploy and as I wasn't wearing my seat belt I went face first into the steering wheel, that combined with the glass from the window sceen ruined my face, or would have done if cosmetic surgery wasn't so good"

"Oh an excelent job I'm sure!" Athos panted struggling now to tray conscious "My compliments!"

Milady sneered and pressed the gun harder into his head "If your being sarcastic I suggest you go and look in the mirror, I've worn a damn sight better than you Olivier!, but then I'm not a drunken sot sleeping in gutters!"

"No, you're a terrorist!" Athos spat glaring up at her "Why Anne?, you could have taken your new face and new life and gone anywhere, why here?, why do this?, why threaten the King?"

"Oh it's nothing personal" Anne said with a shrug "Just business, my surgery was rather extensive, as was buying a new identity, in short I was cleaned out and have hardly a penny left to my name"

"Money?, thats why you'll commit regicide?, for money!?", Athos made an atempty to rise and lash out at his wife but it was to no avail he simply didn't have the strength to move and instead found himself half on his side cough and spitting blood out of his mouth while Anne stroked his face 

"I really did love you you know?" she said "At least for a time, now however?...." she pressed the gun against his forehead again "Now I have a job to do and you're collateral damage" 

"Go on then!" Athos hissed his vision starting to blur from blood loss "Do it, do it!".

Straightening up Milady tensed her arm in preparation to fire but at the moment a voice rang out calling Athos's name making them both look towards the palace where a muti-coloured figure was coming from 

"d'Artagnan" Athos whispered 

"Damn it!" Milady hissed, rising to her feet she holstered the gun and lifted her skirts "Till next time darling!" she said to Athos and took off running across the gardens.

 

d'Artagnan had grown bored swinging from the ceiling, and with all the cake and sweets eaten he couldn't swipe anymore either so he had clambered down and gone in search of Athos rather like a puppy for it's master!.

Aramis had said Athos had gone outside presumably for some air since the mass of bodies in the ballroom was making it rather stuffy despite the expanse of the room.

Happily enough d'Artagnan had followed Athos out into the gardens and down the lawn where he saw Athos laying on the ground with a woman in white standing over him. 

For a second d'Artagnan thought she might be an angel come to heal or guide Athos and he actually paused at the sight of the shimmering white light of her gown feeling elated to know that he had been blessed with the chance to see the devine.

Then he caught sight of her face twisted in anger and hatred, and saw the the gun she had in her hand and he knew she was not an angel but a siren!, a demonic monster in a pleasent guise that tricked men to the deaths!.

A low growl started in his throat and he began to run shouting out Athos's name as he did.

The woman paused and glanced towards him holstering her weapons then fleeing into the night leaving Athos prone on the ground.

 

d'Artagnan didn't notice the blood at first, it was too dark to see it until he was on his knees beside Athos, then he saw it leaking from Athos's chest and bubbling from his mouth, he could smell the iron scent in the air, feel the sticky warmth on his hands as he took hold of Athos lifting him into his lap with a keening wail.

No no this could not be happening!, not again!, Lebarage was dead!, he'd killed him and played in his blood!, he'd made sure that gang could never hurt anyone again and yet here he was holding Athos as he'd held his Father, his Papa!.

"No, no you can't go you can't!" he chanted under his breath his voice becoming louder with each shaking panicked breath he took "You can't go! I killed them for Papa, I killed them you can't go too!"

"d'Artagnan...." Athos whispered on the very edge of consciousness "Need...........help...." with that he past out as d'Artagnan held him tighter sobbing and screaming and rocking Athos back and forth as the reality he barely had a hold on wavered back and forth between the present, the memory of his Father's murder, and his killing Lebarge and his gang.

 

Aramis rendenvous with Porthos just outside the ballroom undoing his bow tie and running a thumb about his cummerband "I should'nt have had cake and proffiteroles!" he said shaking his head "Way too much wheat and sugar for one night!"

"Ah one fart and y'll be right as rain!" Porthos scoffed making Aramis laugh inspite of the foul words 

"Where's Athos and the multi-coloured nut sack!?" 

"I don't know" Aramis admitted "They both went into the gardens......" he paused frowning as a sound which had been just reaching his ears increased in pitch sounding less like a cat on heat calling for a mate and more like someone crying or screaming  
"Athos, d'Artagnan?" he asked fiddling with his ear wire only to get no response which was enoug alarm both him and Porthos, without speaking about it they both went in the direction of the screaming which had by now attracted the attention of several guards who were also making their way down the Louvre grounds to where a bloody Athos was being craddled like a babe in a wailing d'Artagnan's arms!.

 

"Jesus Christ!" Porthos whispered 

"Monsieur!" one of the Louvre guards said aiming a hand gun at d'Artagnan clearly thinking he was responsable for Athos's injury "Place you hands on your head!"

"What the fuck?" Porthos yelled at the guard 

"Monsieur put your hands up now!" the guard insisted ignoring Porthos and foolishly stepping closer to d'Artagnan who reacted like a tiger protecting cubs!.

In a second he was gone from crying and shaking and was on his feet knocking the gun from the guards hand with a single kick that snapped the mans wrist!, next he had spun round and kicked him squarely in the stomach sending him reeling across the grass as the other three guards made to defend him and take d'Artagnan down. 

"Stop!" Aramis shouted having gone to Athos to check the wound and feel for a pulse which he was gratefully reassured was still present in the older mans neck! "Stop threatening him!" he cried knowing that the more the guards did so the more d'Artagnan would fight, but it was no use, d'Artagnan was flipping over dodging a bullet and wrapping his thighs about a guards neck in a cobra tight grip while shattering the mans nose with his own gun rendering him unconscious, one of the two remaining guards attempted to get him into a head lock but was soon screaming as d'Artagnan's teeth sank deeply into his arm!.

The last guard took aim with his gun his hands shaking as he aimed at d'Artagnan's head but he never had the chance to fire as Porthos's meaty fist conected with his face knocking him out cold!, at the same moment d'Artagnan wrenched his head up with a spray of blood taking a good chunk of the guards flesh with him in his mouth making the man howl in agony and release d'Artagnan to clutch at his profusely bleeding arm!.

Spitting the blood and flesh from his mouth d'Artagnan spun round his teeth bared and eyes wild

"God sake call Treville and have him get an ambulance!" Aramis snapped at the first guard who was on his knees holding his broken wrist, by now Aramis had his dinner jacket off and was pressing it firmly into Athos's wound, while his intentions were to help Athos d'Artagnan was too far gone to understand that and mearly saw him as a threat, as he prepared to leap at Aramis Porthos intervine using his entire body weight to force d'Artagnan down onto the ground and keep him pinned there by actually laying on top of him with his face down in the grass so he couldn't bite and hands far out in front of him so he couldn't scratch either.

"Hurry up and get some tranqs for 'im yeah!?" the large man yelled "It's like holdin' a wild cat tha's serious pissed off!"

"He's dangerous!, like a rabid dog!" the bitten guard snarled 

"Say tha' again an I'll put all yer teeth down yer throat" Porthos growled as d'Artagnan screamed and struggled beneathed him "It's alright fruitcakes Athos'll be alright an so will you" he soothed to the traumatized young man 

"I hope you're right" Aramis whispered checking Athos's pulse which was slowing with each passing moment.

 

Presently Treville came jogging down the lawn a little breathless from shock and running "The ambulance is on it's way" he said looking worriedly at Athos "How is he?" he asked Aramis

"Took it through the lung, he's been unconscious as long as we've been here and he's lost a lot of blood" 

Treville pursed his lips and glanced to the four guards who was perfectly convenient for him to take his frustration out on "You useless bunch of rent-a-cops!, what the bloody hell were you thinking attacking one of the Musketeers?"

"We found him covered in blood sir!" one of them protested

"He bit me!" the other cried indignantly 

"Lucky he didn't tear your eyes out and bite your throat open!" Treville snorted dismissively "Get from my sight all of you and consider yourselves on resport for this!"

Porthos sniggered and exchanged an amused glance with Aramis as the four guards including the groggy one whom d'Artagnan had knocked out staggered away just as the releaving sound of a siren pierced the air 

"I've got them bringing a strong tranquilizor for d'Artagnan" Treville said "I explained the situation with him well enough"

"You won't have him committed again will you?" Aramis asked, having heard about the electric shock treatments d'Artagnan had endured he didn't want the boy going through anything like that again 

"No just sedated and restrained at the garrison until he's calmed down" Treville assured him "D'you have any idea as to what happened here?, who shot Athos?"

"No" Aramis said "And if d'Artagnan knows he's too out of it to tell anyone right now"

"To say the least!" Porthos said as d'Artagnan bucked beneath him let out a string of curses and screams 

"Well lets hope theres something on the security cammeras then" Treville sighed "Else it's all up to Athos and d'Artagnan to tell us everything".


	11. Chapter 11

Athos was rushed straight to the nearest hospital to undergo immediate surgary to remove the bullet, drain and reinflate his lung. 

Aramis insisted on acompanying him to the hospital while Porthos went back to the garrison with d'Artagnan stating that it'd be good for him to have a familiar face to wake up to when he regained consciousness from the diazapam that was shot into him. 

Treville promised he'd come by as soon as he'd finished up debriefing and getting all the security tapes to go through to try and see who had done this.

 

Porthos cringed at the gut wrenching screams d'Artagnan was giving as he struggled against the orderlys and nurses who were having to pin him down to his bed to get the needle into his vein to tranq him, he'd already received one shot of tranqs and it had hardly made a dent in his hysteria, he had so much adrenaline pumping through his system that it was keeping the drugs from knocking him out forcing the nurses to increase the dosage.

Gradually d'Artagnan's struggles grew weaker and his screams whimpers that slowly fell silent as his body succumbed to the drugs and he slipped into sleep.

"Thank God for that!" one of the orderlies said rubbing his thigh which d'Artagnan had delivered a particularly vicious kick to 

"Lets get him restrained and turned onto his belly" One of the nurses said making Porthos start, she gave him a reassuring smile "The restraints are just a precaution in case he becomes violent again, and I want him on his front with his head to the side incase he vomits"

Porthos gave a single head nod to show his understanding of the situation, "Should get 'im outa those clothes and cleaned up" he said "He shouldn't wake up covered in blood it'll freak 'im out again"

"Agreed" the Nurse said "Lets cut the clothes off him and get him washed and redressed before we use the restraints"

"What if he kicks off again?" one of the orderlies asked dabbing his nose which was still bloody 

"With forty ccs of dizapam in him?, no chance" the nurse replied "Now stop rubbing your nose and help us!"

"He broke it!" the orderlie protested 

"No he didn't we'd have heard the crunch of bones if he did!" another said with a smirk.

 

Ignoring them Porthos went d'Artagnan's chest of draws and dug through them pulling out his favorite pajamas, batman pajamas in fact!,   
"Put 'im in these, he'll be comforted by them" he said tossing them onto the bed

"Thank you" the nurse said "You really care about him don't you?" she asked "Under that brash tough as nails street wise exteria you are really quite the softy aren't you?"

Porthos made a grumbling noise in his throat and looked down at his feet while his cheeks heated   
"He's like a Kid Brother, needs someone t'look out for 'im"

"And you the one who looks out for him" the nurse said grinning at Porthos who just shrugged and looked away embaressed by how easily she'd read the softness of his heart.

 

Using a bowl of warm water and sponges the nurses washed d'Artagnan and dried him off redressing him in his batman pajamas and gently rolled him onto his front keeping his head turned to the side while his wrists and ankles were restrained. 

"Alright he's to recieve thirty minute checks" the nurse who'd been pretty much in charge stated 

"I'm stayin' wit' 'im" Porthos said picking up a sparkling book from the floor, naturally it was a childrens book Peter Pan in fact!, "Though I'd read to 'im" he said shrugging 

"A lovely thought" the nurse said patting his shoulder, "You know..." she said pausing as she headed towards the door "I am free tomorrow night if you....want to do something?"

Porthos shot her a toothy grin "Sorry love" he said "I'm already seein' someone!"

The nurse shrugged her shoulders "Guess it was too much to hope for" she sighed "Ah well theres still plenty of fish in the sea and tubs of Ben and Jerrys to console myself with!".

 

Porthos snickered to himself and climbed onto the other side of the bed beside d'Artagnan "Been a while since I read to anyone lad" he said "An' I was never tha' good at it so don't go judgin' me too much!".

 

Hospital

 

Aramis hated the smell of hospitals, that sterial stench of bleach that mingled with blood and grief. Hospitals always made him think of grief and pain, people didn't come into these buildings for fun they came here because they were hurt or sick. 

Well no that wasn't entirely true, they came here because they were having babies too, and while that hurt the mothers during labor it was what Aramis had heard reffered to as a "Good Pain" probably because it preceeded such joy and wonder, but thinking about that was not going to cheer him anymore than the God aweful excuse for coffee he was forcing himself to drink as he waited for news on Athos.

His tux had garnered him a fair amount of attention as he waited, not many people showed up to hospitals in such clothing after all. Most likely thought he'd come from a wedding reception where someone's appendix had burst or a fight had broken out bewteen disfunctional family members, none would guess he was here because his friend and fellow musketeer had been shot while protecting the King and Queen along with half the worlds nobility and diplomats!.  
Sighing deeply he drained his plastic cup and tossed it into the trash to start another round of pacing the waiting room and recption, perhaps if he tried very hard he could convince his bladder that he needed the toilet again so he could waste some time with a trip to the bathroom!, considering all the coffee he'd drank it shouldn't be too hard to do so!.

His wanderings brought him round to the A+E department just in time to see a vomiting drunk being brought in spilling his guts all over the floor and moaning like he was dying!, "Goddamn it get someone to mop that up!" the duty Doctor snapped "And get this idiot a bucket before he makes more of a mess!"

"Charming!" Aramis drawled turning away and heading back down the corridor to the main reception where he saw a heavily pregnant laboring woman leaning heavily and what Aramis assumed to be her Husband or Partner was being booked in and guided to maternity 

"Good luck" the receptionist called as the woman was wheeled away in a wheelchair by a midwife her rather terrified looking partner trailing behind them 

"I think it's him who'll need the luck!" Aramis whispered heading back now down the corridor to the waiting room and sat down to watch the BBC world service news channel that was on the TV with disinterest and rubbed the back of his neck twisting his head from side to side, he was feeling tired and uncomfortable right now, his rich dinner sitting heavily in his stomach and tux feeling clingy after so many hours of wearing it, he wanted to go home and have a shower and crawl into bed prefferably with Porthos and go to sleep in his arms, but right now he knew he'd do nothing but sit here waiting for what seemed like forever. 

"Monsieur Aramis?" 

Aramis jumped and rose from the seat greeting the Doctor with a nod of the head "I'm happy to tell you that Monsieur Athos has come through surgary well and is now resting in recovery"

Aramis let out a sigh of relief a small and very tired smile forming on his face   
"Can I see him?" he asked 

"For a few minutes, he needs to rest" the Doctor said placing an arm about his shoulders and began to lead him away just as Treville arrived

"Captain!" Aramis called "Athos is gonna be okay, this Doctor's going to let us see him for a few minutes"

"Thank God" Treville breathed in relief "And Thank You Doctor, for everything"

"My pleasure" the Doctor said and took them to Recovery where Athos was resting  
"He's still sleeping off the anisthetic and is under heavy pain relief so don't expect much out of him" he warned 

"Thats okay" Aramis said with a smile taking Athos's hand 

"Ten minutes" the Doctor said leaving them in peace.

 

"Athos?, Athos can you hear me?" Aramis asked 

"A...Anne?" Athos whispered groggily 

"Anne?, did he say Anne?" Aramis asked Treville who shrugged 

"d'Art.....?" Athos mumbled "You.......silly.....love...", try as he might to talk the drugs in his system were just to strong and he slipped back into unconsciousness

"What d'you think he ment by that?" Aramis asked 

"God knows" Treville sighed "And we won't get to the bottom of it until he's less doped up, and the same can likely be said for d'Artagnan"

"Yeah and that'll depend if he's stable enough to talk" Aramis said rubbing his face 

"Go and get some rest" Treville said "Theres a car outside that'll take you back to the garrison"

"But..........."

"I'll be here for when Athos wakes up" Treville assured him "Now go home and let Porthos know that Athos will be alright"

Nodding thankfully Aramis patted Treville on the shoulder and took one more look at Athos's peaceful form before departing.

 

Across Paris in her apartment Milady watched her blood stained gown burn in the fireplace, she had already scrubbed in the shower removing any trace of Athos's blood.

She was still shaking with adrenaline and more than a little fear, if Athos lived, if that......thing in the paint saw her clearly, if anyone saw her then she would be doomed!, Rochefort for never help her, that bastard would drop her like last months fashion trend rather than risk his plans helping her.

"What to do?" she whispered watching the flames burn on "What should I do?".


	12. Chapter 12

Waking up was always a strange experiance for d'Artagnan. Since his mind wandered so far from reality it was often difficult for him to disern whether or not he was awake or asleep and dreaming. 

Usually he simply lay still and let his body let him know if he were in fact awake by the need to empty his bladder and the dryness in his mouth in need for a drink.   
This morning he did the same waiting to open his eyes until his bladder began to hurt, then he tried to move........he couldn't move.......his wrists and ankles were bound!.

A cry of panic escaped his lips as he tugged on the restraints pulling as hard as he could in desperation to get himself free before he was taken for EST or something equally as terrible!, tears of frustration pricked at his eyes and his breath quickened as a panic attack threatened and would probably have struck had it not been for Porthos waking up and taking his hand   
"Hush lad it's alright, you're alright" the larger man soothed undoing the nearest wrist strap, d'Artagnan swiftly undid the rest on his own and bolted off the bed clambered up onto the dressing table and then up onto the wardrobe his eyes as wide and wild as a frightened animals!

"Whoa d'Art it's okay!" Porthos exclaimed getting up from the bed and looking up at d'Artagnan who reminded him of a spooked cat "It's alright kid really" he said "You're safe here remember, no ones gonna hurt you or try to imprison you again"  
d'Artagnan blinked down at him frowning as his dissordered mind tried to process this  
"Porthos?" he whispered 

The dark face below him broke into a smile "Aye loonytoons it's Porthos, know where you are now?"

d'Artagnan looked around seeing his room along with a few things that Porthos didn't see but that didn't matter Porthos's brain wasn't as advanced as his!, he wasn't in the hospital, he wasn't locked up, he was safe. He sat back on his haunches relaxing until he remembered he needed the toilet, then he jumped from the wardrobe down onto the bed bounced to the floor and ran into the bathroom

"Worse than a toddeler!" Porthos chuckled shaking his head and waiting until d'Artagnan returned from the bathroom "Listen lad we need to talk about last night, about Athos"

d'Artagnan frowned at Porthos's words, trying to differentiate his dreams and hallucinations from memories was not an easy thing for him since he didn't know what was real and what wasn't but the image of a glowing white figure standing over Athos came into his mind followed him an image of himself holding Athos who was bleeding heavily from a wound in his chest!.

"Athos!" he cried as fear filled his face 

"Aye he's been hurt and he's in hospital............" Porthos broke off as d'Artagnan suddenly bolted from the room out onto the balconey flipped over the side and using gaps in the brick work and lower window frames climbed down until he was low enough to jump then he did so and sprinted across the courtyard heading for the garrage!, "Bloody hell!" Porthos cursed running from the bedroom after d'Artagnan very thankful for the fact that they kept the keys to all the vehicles on several hooks in the kitchen since otherwise they'd have to chase d'Artagnan down as he took one of the cars or moterbike!.

 

Aramis was sat at the kitchen counter picking at bacon and eggs when Porthos came in   
"Morning is........" he broke off as Porthos grabbed one of the sets of keys "Whats going on?" he asked 

"d'Arts on the loose I think he wants to see Athos" Porthos quickly explained 

"And you're taking him to see him" Aramis swiftly summized, grabbing his coffee he downed the lot and ran a hand through his hair "Lets go then!"

"What?, you're coming too!?" Porthos asked 

Aramis shrugged as he past by him "Why not?"

"Why not indeed!" Porthos muttered.

 

They found d'Artagnan beating his fist futiley against the engine of the moterbike with tears running down his cheeks over the fact he couldn't start it   
"Maybe we should get him dressed first?" Aramis suggested looking at the batman pajamas and bare feet on d'Artagnan 

"I don't think he's going to wait that long" Porthos said opening the BMW "d'Art" he called "C'mon we're taking you to see Athos", like a dog d'Artagnan obeyed and leaped into the car sitting on the back seat all but vibrating with nervous energy

"It's okay d'Art" Aramis soothed getting into the passenger seat and looking over the back rest at d'Artagnan with a smile "I saw Athos last night and he was doing okay"

"Athos, need Athos!" d'Artagnan whispered bouncing on the seat "Hurry!" he said to Porthos as he started the engine

"Yes Sir!" Porthos chuckled with a wry smirk.

 

What the hospital staff must have thought of two fully grown me bringing in another grown man dressed scantily in batman pajamas neither Porthos or Aramis dared think!.

Aramis had already spoken to Treville albeit briefly and Athos had been moved to a private room with guards outside the door for his protection. Keeping hold of one of d'Artagnan's hands each both he and Porthos took him up in the lift to the right floor and then down the corridor to the room Athos was in.

The guards had been told to admit the Musketeers without question and simply opened the door for them letting them inside.

Athos was sleeping when they arrived but thanks to d'Artagnan breaking free from Aramis and Porthos he didn't remain that way for very long!, for d'Artagnan scrambled up onto the bed and began to shower his face in kisses!

"Wha......d'Artagnan?" Athos mumbled groggily as his eyes focused on the adorable lunatic! 

"Not dead, not dead, not dead!" d'Artagnan chanted continuing to kiss him "Love you, love you, not let siren get you!"

"Uh no I'm not dead" Athos said rather bewildered "And....." he smiled his usual defenses lowered by the morphine "I guess I love you too!".

 

The less than subtle coughing and snickers of amusment let Athos know he and d'Artagnan were not alone and he shot Porthos and Aramis a look of annoyance that was mixed with fond exasperation   
"I should have known you two would be lurking around somewhere!" he drawled while d'Artagnan finally settled down laying across him and twirling his fingers through Athos's hair while humming under his breath 

"Thats us!" Aramis cheerfully said pulling up a plastic chair and sitting down "Professional lurkers!"

"We would have come in later but fruit cake here was rather insistant that we come now" Porthos said straddeling another chair "You doin' alright now?" he asked scowling at the bandage over Athos's left shoulder and upper chest with a drain attached that was drawing out all the excess blood and lymph to prevent infection

"Not too bad" Athos said "Lucky to be alive I guess" he mused glancing down at the wound, just half an inch lower................the night before replayed in his mind, Anne firing the gun which was leveled at his heart, his foot hitting that hole and tripping him changing the angle which the bullet had entered his body, "She meant to kill me" he whispered catching Aramis and Porthos's attention at once

"She?" Porthos asked "She who?, who did this?"

Athos and wet his lips, this was conversation he doubted he would ever be ready for, a conversation he wished that he did not need to be having, truth be told he was still trying to wrap his head about the whole thing himself without having to try and explain it to anyone else. Anne alive, in league with terrorists, murderously disposed towards him!, how was he supposed to deal with this!?.

Surprisingly it was d'Artagnan who rescued him, sitting up the young man spoke in the most logical sounding voice he'd used since Athos had known him, in fact he even looked fairly sane right now!, (if you discounted the bat man pajamas of course)  
"She was tall and slim, had long dark hair and was dressed in white" he stated quite clearly "She was pretty but not beautiful, and had the manor of a person who has killed before".

 

Since it was so very rare for d'Artagnan to speak so sanely it shocked all three men into silence while they gaped at him in wonder!, Aramis was the first to recover and cleared his throat while d'Artagnan settled back down with his head over Athos's chest   
"A woman dressed in white?" he asked trying to recall the women at the party and what they had been wearing 

"Her names Anne" Athos said sighing deeply "Anne de Bruiel, or at least it was when I married her!". 

 

An hour later 

 

After Athos's revelation of not only knowing the woman who had shot him but also having been married to her Treville had been called to hear the news for himself and regarded Athos with same shock as the others had, well all except d'Artagnan who seemed to take the news in his stride, being more interested in nuzzeling Athos's neck to bother with anything else, save for growling at the nurses when they came round to check on him!.

"You are sure it was her?" Treville asked shaking his head in disbelief "There could be no mistake?"

Athos shook his head "Believe me I wish there were, as far as I knew, have known for the last five years she died after driving her car off the side of a cliff into the sea, she was declared legally dead after two years"

"But no body was found" Porthos murmured 

"No" Athos confirmed "It seems she staged the crash to fake her death", a cold smile twisted his face into an ugly humor "She didn't get away scott free though, her air bag didn't deploy and she was baddly hurt in the crash, her face smashed and throat scarred" he gave a humorless laugh "She was always a vain woman, very vain in fact, she had to spend all her ill gotten fortune on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to repair the damage that was done".

 

Considering all the Anne had done facial injuries were hardly justice but no one could blame Athos for taking some vindictive pleasure in her misfortune, however there were larger things at stake here, her plans or rather the terrorists plans for the crown.

"I don't suppose she told you who she's working with?" Treville asked hoping for a lead, the security tapes had turned up nothing, Anne was clearly a professional and knew how to stay out of the line of sight of cameras, more worryingly to do so she would have had to have spent time at the Louvre before now to learn where the cameras were positioned which meant that the terrorists had people on the inside. 

This was not a comforting thought to say the least and Treville was not looking forward to telling Louis, Anne, or in fact Richelieu of this.

 

Athos shook his head once in answer to Treville's question "She didn't I'm afraid"

"I don't suppose checking the guest list will help?" Aramis said glumly

"She'll be using a different name and indentity for sure" Athos said 

"We can still start circulating her picture through the guards and the like" Treville said "I take it that she still looks the same despite the injuries and surgery?"

"More or less" Athos said "There are some differences but not enough for her to be unrecognizable"

"Then I'll get a copy of her mug shot from the police records and start circulating it" Treville said "With luck we'll get a name to work with and an address"

"Luck?" Athos muttered "I'm not sure I believe in that"

"But you have too!" d'Artagnan suddenly stated joining the conversation for the first time "The fairys gave you good luck and saved you by making you fall!"

Athos's eyebrows rose at this, at d'Artagnan's endearing innocent explaination for his surviving the gun shot by falling!, "The fairys saved me?" he asked with a small smile while d'Artagnan eagerly nodded

"They like you!, they like you cause I love you an you love me!" he declared as if it were obviously that simple 

"Guess you got the fairys rooting for you big guy!" Porthos teased getting a two fingered salute from Athos who was far beyond pretending not to feel what he did for d'Artagnan anymore, damn the morality of all this, after all they had both been through in the past few years didn't they deserve some happiness?

"Well I think between the guards outside the door, d'Artagnan, and the fairys Athos is safe enough for the time being!" Treville said smirking at Athos's glare 

"Yeah I think we'll head home for a while" Aramis said rising and stretching "You two have a good time with the fairys, just don't float off to Never land!"

"They don't give pixie dust t'just anyone!" d'Artagnan stated "Thats special and sacred!"

"Of course it is!" Aramis agreed solomly "We'll uh see you later then!".

 

The three of them trooped out of the private room and down the hall grinning in spite of the troubles they had with Anne de Bruiel  
"Well at least something goods come outa this shit" Porthos said "Loonytoons and Captain Morbid are finally gettin' it together!, I swear if I 'ad to watch 'em makin' moon eyes at each other any longer I was gonna go bonkers me'sell!".


	13. Chapter 13

Milady was no fool

She knew that the chances were she would be identified even if Athos had died.

She'd searched all the news both on the TV and the Net for information but it seemed everything had been hushed up so there were no news stories on her shooting Athos. 

She was not fool enough to take any comfort in this, if the press hadn't been informed the chances were that Athos was still alive and the officials were keeping things quiet for his protection. 

While she was fairly confident she had not been caught on camera doing anything she shouldn't have been she was not going to take any chances, sooner or later her mug shot would be handed around and she would be identified as not only Milady de Winter Private Secetary to Richelieu but Anne de Brueil the not so dead wife of Athos, a wanted murderer who'd escaped justice by faking her death.

Her only chance for survival now was to once again disappear.

 

Having had to run more than once in her life Milady had taken precautions and set up an escape for herself.   
She even had another identity set up to take over from Milady de Winter.

Her new identity was the widowed Madame Louisa de La Chappel.

Madame de La Chappel was a bit of a bimbo, she lived off the money her husband had lfet her in his will and topped it up by dating rich older men who liked having someone pretty and braindead on their arm.  
Her interests were fashion, make up, reality TV.   
Her favorite colour was pink, and she loved milk chocolate but didn't dare indulge too much incase it damaged her sleek figure.

Making up a personality for an alias always helped Milady get into character easier, rather like an actor getting ready to go out on stage she made the necessery changes to her person for her new role.

Already she had changed her hair, dying it a dark golden blonde and added extentions to make her hair seem waist length.   
Her normal light honey coloured spray tan she changed for a far darker shade that was clearly fake and loved by wannabe glamour models.   
Her make up she changed aswell, normally she opted for more light shades of eye shadows through out the day and smokey shades for when she dressed up, but for an air head like Louisa de la Chappel anytime was dress up time so she used a far darker and heavier style and shade with lots of eyeliner and fake eye lashes.  
Instead of her dramatic red lip stick she went for a more messy sparkly pink lip gloss.

She added pink acryilic nails to her fingers and dressed in skin tight skinny jeans with a sparkly belt and an off the shoulder cropped bandou top that showed off her slim waist, she slipped her feet into strappy stileto heels which fastened at the ankle with a sparkly clasp, and a fitted pink leather jacket with a matching handbag and some terribly bling jewellery completed the look.

"Hi I'm Louisa, call me Lou Lou everyone always does!" she said to her reflection in a falscetto voice and cringed "God I hope I don't have to keep this act up for too long"

"So do I!" came a voice from behind her.

 

Milady spun round and found Rochefort standing in her bedroom doorway looking her over the way a man would look at a lap dancer!.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" she demanded with a scowl, thoroughly irritated by the fact he'd managed to break in without her noticing 

"Looking at a cheap slut by the looks of it!" Rochefort drawled straighting up and entering the bedroom "Planning on becoming a stripper?"

"What d'you want Rochefort?" Milady sighed not dignifying that question with an answer

"To know what you plan to do about your Ex-Husband since you failed to kill him!".

 

All the humor was gone from Rochefort and his accusing gaze made Milady shift uncomfortably  
"I will......finish the job" she said 

"And just how will you do that when he is under guard at the hospital recovering from a gun shot that I assume you gave him?"

Milady shot Rochefort a winning smile "I'll get myself into his room and finish what I have started" she said "However I am going to be changing locations and you'll need my new mobile number"

"I trust you will destroy the sim of the old one?"

"Naturally" Milady confirmed "I already through it into a shot of vodka and then into the fire"

"Very Good" Rochefort grudgingly praised "Where exactly are you planning on staying now?" he asked looking at the wheeled suite case which Milady had packed her skimpiest clothing into 

"I'll let you know in due course" Milady replied snapping the case shut "So unless you'd like to give me a lift..............." she trailed off Rochefort glared "I'll text you once I have settled" she said "Most likely I'll stay in a hotel for now, then once I can set up a more practical identity I'll find somewhere more perminant"

"More practical and less revealing I'm sure" Rochefort drawled "Just be sure to finish off your husband and anyone else who gets in the way, we can't afford loose ends"

Milady nodded her head flipping her extentions over her shoulder and slipping on a pair of over sized sun glasses she blew Rochefort air kisses and picked up her luggage strutting away to go and find a taxi to take her to a hotel.

She had to admit as she made her way down the road as slutty as she felt in this outfit she didn't mind the attention she was getting from men as she passed them by!.  
Smiling she waved her hand to alert a taxi driver and hurried as fast as the heels would allow and settled into the car telling the driver to take her to a hotel. 

Now all she had to do was find a way into Athos's room and finish him off, then she could think up her new identity and finish helping Rochefort with coup then disappear into the sunset so to speak with nothing to hold her back ever again.

Louvre

Treville invariably seemed to be on the verge of a headache when he was in the presence of Richelieu and today was no different save for the fact his headache was being caused by more than just Richelieu insufferable arrogance. 

Today it was Athos's consultant at the hospital who was complaining down the phone to him about d'Artagnan's presence in Athos's room and blatant refusal to leave Athos's side.

"d'Artagnan is very protective of Athos Doctor" Treville said pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to ignore the snort of amusment that came from Richelieu's direction 

"He bit me Captain!, he drew blood!, and he's been snarling and growling like a wolf at the nurses!"

"Yes he has a thing for biting!" Treville muttered tiredly 

"He is risking Monsieur Athos's recovery!, I want him removed from the Hospital right now!" 

Treville took a deep breath and rocked back and forth on his feet keeping from loosing his temper only through years of having frustrating conversations with Richelieu and Louis!, "Has Athos complained about d'Artagnan's presence at all?"

"Well no...."

"Then I do not see the problem Doctor" Treville stated "If Athos is happy to have d'Artagnan with him then leave them be, and if you want him to stop biting you don't attempt to touch him!"

"But Captain....!"

"I have to end this call Doctor I trust the matter is now closed!", Treville ended the call and grit his teeth at Richelieu's amused laugh

"Your Musketeers certainly keep things lively!" Richelieu said "That lunatic biting people!, you know he put four of my guards in hospital don't you?"

"The fools shouldn't have threatened him!" Treville snapped back "They're lucky he didn't kill them!, the last people who threatened him with weapons didn't get off to lightly!"

"Yes, the mass murder for which he was sectioned under the mental health act I believe" Richelieu drawled "Such a charming young man, is rather vicious and deranged!"

"Can we please get back to the point?" Treville asked through gritted teeth

"I thought we were discussing that already!", at Treville's sour look Richelieu chuckled again and gestured for him to take a seat "This woman you spoke of, Anne de Bruiel, it is not a name I am familiar with and I have gone through the guest list twice"

"No Athos believed she'd be living under a different identity"

"But he is sure it's her?"

"Completely sure" 

Richelieu sighed and slumped back into his chair "I suppose he would be wouldn't he?" he said melancholically "And that bitch has likely been working here for weeks if not months, a hairs bredth from the King and Queen!, under our bloody noses and we didn't have the first idea!"

Treville didn't make any remark to this knowing that Richelieu was simply speaking out loud not necesserily to him.  
"Have you got the mug shot?" Richelieu asked 

"Of course", Treville handed over the rather blurred picture of Anne de Bruiel that had been e-mailed to him from the police who'd investigated when she'd murdered Thomas de la Fere and faked her death

Richelieu looked at the picture the colour draining from his face save for two spots of red in his cheeks that grew darker with his growing anger   
"Bitch!" he roared shooting up to his feet and knocking his chair over "Deceitful two faced bitch!" he snarled marching from his office to where his private secetarys worked "Milady de Winter!" he roared 

"Monsieur?" his personal assistant asked with a frown 

"Where is she?" Richelieu snapped 

"She hasn't come in today, d'you want me to call her?" 

"Richelieu whats going on?" Treville asked 

"Milady de Winter!" Richelieu spat "She is Anne de Bruiel!, the bitch has been right under my nose!, standing at my side!"

Were he a more vindictive man than he was Treville would likely have poked fun at this, however considering just how close Anne/Milady had come to the King it was no laughing matter and so any black humor he might have felt he squashed down with the need to act professionally and set about summoning security to seize all of Milady's computer equipment and arranged a search of her home in the slim hope that they might aprehend her there

"I'll leave the telling of this to their Majesties to you" Treville said to Richelieu, well he might not be vindictive but he wasn't a saint!.

 

Garrison

 

The black smoke, screeching of the fire alarm, and colourful swearing drew Porthos into the kitchen where he found Aramis cursing over a tray of black blobs that looked like charcoal!.

"And what were they when they were alive?" he asked with a snicker jumping up and punching the button on the fire alarm to shut it up 

"Chocolate chip cookies!" Aramis spat "I wanted to do something nice for Athos and d'Art! Hospital food is always shit so I thought..........." he broke off and gestured to the cindered remains 

Porthos tried not to laugh, he did try his hardest but he just could keep the giggles from escaping his throat and once they were out he couldn't seem to stop laughing even as tears appeared at the corners of his eyes

"Oh sod off!" Aramis groused smiling in spite of his anoyance with himself and the traitorous oven!

"Oh C'mere" Porthos said wrapping his arms about Athos and pulling him close "It was nice thought love, a really nice thought, an' considerin' you're right about the food we'll pick up some stuff on the way to the hospital"

"Won't be home made though" Aramis sighed glaring at the cindered cookies 

"Nah but it's the thought that counts ain't it?"

Aramis smiled and twisted his neck to look up at Porthos "Promise you won't tell anyone about this?"

"S'long as you promise t'never try an cook f'me, I don't think me gut coul' stand it!".

 

Hospital

 

Athos had to admit it was very pleasent to have d'Artagnan curled up next to him like an over sized cat, or massaging his head, even telling him all about the varies people and things he could see that no one else could!, it certainly was entertaining to hear him talk about the fairys he seemed fixated on and was very funny to see him snarling at the Doctor and biting him!.

"I hope you don't start chewing on me if we get into an argument" he said as d'Artagnan settled back down with Athos's head on his chest while he ran his fingers through his hair

"I don't bite people I like" d'Artagnan replied "I'll bite that siren bitch though, she comes near you again I'll rip her throat out!"

Perhaps it was the morphine or perhaps it was just so nice to have someone caring for him again but Athos found d'Artagnan's threats against Anne rather comforting, it was funny, all this time he'd been thinking that it was d'Artagnan who needed to be cared for, needed to be protected due to his fragile mental state, but considering how fast he took down those four guards and how vigilant he was being right now it was clear that despite not being quite fixed in reality d'Artagnan was very capable of taking care of himself and others.

"You are a very strange but wonderful person d'Artagnan" Athos said taking one of his hands and kissing it "And I think thats why you're perfect for me", d'Artagnan made a purring noise and kissed Athos's head and snuggled down a bit more sighing in contentment.


	14. Chapter 14

Hospital 

 

d'Artagnan was practically vibrating on the amount of sugar he had consumed. sitting cross legged on the end of Athos's bed he was bouncing up and down and rocking back and forth humming to himself while munching his way through an M+Ms cookie that was the size of his hand!.

After the disaster with the cookies that Aramis had tried to bake he and Porthos had gone a little bit mad shopping and brought in several bags full of goodies.

Packs of Doritos chips nacho cheese, and hot and spicey with salsa dip, Cheese balls, and pretzils. M+M cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, and hazelnut cookies. Chocolate cup cakes, and Salted Caramel cup cakes, blueberry muffins, and white chocolate and raspberry muffins, and sitting out rather forlornly amid all the junk food was a bunch of grapes that was practically di rigour for hospitals!.

Athos had laughed when the pair had come in asking if they were planning on feeding an army but certainly didn't complain about the spread considering the barely edible food he'd been served by the hospital.  
Aramis and Porthos hadn't been stingy on drinks either, they'd brought in orange juice, and diet coke (They all found regular too sweet), and especially for d'Artagnan they brought in a chocolate milkshake for him to enjoy which combined with the cookies, cup cakes, and muffins he devoured he was very well sugar hyped and beaming happily with a slightly glazed look in his eyes.

"I would love to be able to eat as much sugar as him without it effecting my waist line" Aramis sighed enviously 

"It's cause he's always bouncin' off the walls!" Porthos chuckled and grinned at Aramis "Don' fret 'bout countin' calories anyways, I like some'in t'grab 'old of!"

"Oh can we please not go there?" Athos protested as Aramis giggled 

"Magick beans munchy magick beans!" d'Artagnan chanted nibbling at his cookie 

"Magick beans?" Athos asked, d'Artagnan pointed to the M+Ms in his cookie 

"Magick beans!"

"Did the fairys make them?" Aramis asked picking up another cup cake despite the fact he knew he'd regret his over indulgence later and bit into fluffy creamy heaven!

"Not fairys silly fairys bake fairy cakes, Elves bake cookies with magick beans!"

"Of course they do!" Aramis said nodding his head and glanced to an equally amused Athos and Porthos, it was incredible just how innocent and child like d'Artagnan could be considering the level of damage he was capable of, that made him as fascinating as it made him terrifying.

"Anyone for a refill?" Porthos asked rising and getting the orange juice 

"I'll have another" Athos said holding out his cup, the morphine was making him thirsty aswell as sleepy, besides the Doctor had encouraged him to drink at least an extra pint a day to help make up for the blood loss, finishing his cookie d'Artagnan rolled over onto his back and stretched his arms and legs out then let them fall limp his eyes closing as he apparently settled down to sleep with his arms and legs hanging over the sides of the bed!.

 

"Nutter!" Porthos said affectionately shaking his head at d'Artagnan 

"Hows he been since we left?" Aramis asked Athos who smiled

"A great comfort and a source of entertainment" he replied "Especially when he bites consultants!"

"Maybe we should get him one of those chew toys that dogs like!" Aramis snickered "He may enjoy it since he has such a taste for biting!"

Porthos snorted and gave Athos a dirty look "Bes' take care on what bits yer let 'im put in his mouth or yer might end up singin' soprano!", the glower Athos gave him just made him laugh even harder which made for a pleasent greeting for Treville who came in also bearing gifts.

The King and Queen had sent a luxury fruit basket as a get well present which Treville had brought with him along with a box of multi flavoured macaroons and a box of cadbury biscuits.

"I see you won't starving anytime soon!" he chuckled setting the gifts down and hardly having a chance to take his hands off them before d'Artagnan was examining them with the curiocity of a cat, his apparent sleepyness now completely worn off so he could look through the new food items   
"Couldn't you have bought him some different clothes?" Treville sighed looking at the batman pajamas 

"We did!" Aramis protested pointing to the holdalls on the floor "He wasn't interested in getting changed!"

"An we're too fond of our limbs t'rink forcin' 'im!" Porthos added helping himself to an orange from the fruit basket 

"Is there any news on Anne?" Athos asked picking a few grapes off the bunch Aramis and Porthos had brought in and shaking his head as d'Artagnan began licking the milk chocolate off a cadbury biscuit

"There is news actually" Treville said clearing his throat "I showed Richelieu the mug shot we have of her and he identified her as Milady de Winter, she has been working for him as a private secetary for quite some time!", Treville managed to keep the smirk from his face at the fact he'd abandoned Richelieu to telling their majesties of this alone something that was going to go down about as well as a lead balloon!, "I had her appartment searched but she had already left it, and it's likely she's using another identity to escape justice"

Athos sighed sagging on the pillows and was immediately joined by d'Artagnan who curled up against him petting him and making sad noises in his throat at Athos's distress, "She won't be easy to find now" he said "She's had years of practise at deception"

"True but I have had her picture sent to every airport, docks, and border, she won't be able to get out of the country even if she manages to leave Paris without being spotted"

"She can't just go and have a load more surgery things like that take time to arrange" Aramis said "She could change her hair and her clothing style but she can't change her face over night"

"She might not even be able to have anymore alterations made after the reconstruction she had to have done" Athos said "So that goes in our favour"

"As does the fact she can't change her finger prints, retinal scan, and DNA all of which I have on file" Treville said "It may take time but she won't get away".

 

Louvre

 

Richelieu silently prayed for strength as his ear drums were once again assailed by Louis's shrill complaints.

Honestly how a fully grown man could still get his voice quite so high was beyond Richelieu!, the King actually sounded like a high strung hampster shrieking it's lungs out as he wailed at Richelieu.

"Are you even listening to me Armand!?" 

Richelieu cleared his throat and gave a nod of his head "Of course your Majesty" he lied having stopped paying attention ten minutes ago!, "I just......hardly know what to say in response to this situation"

"But how could you not know?" Louis yelled once again "She was right there under your nose for weeks and weeks!"

"Indeed Majesty" Richelieu admitted through gritted teeth, like he was ever going to be able to live this down anytime soon!, "And I can not appologise enough.........."

"No you can not!" Louis snapped going and slumping on his throne stamping his feet like a petulant child in a tantrum 

"This isn't entirely Armands fault Sire" Anne said placing a calmly hand over her childish Husbands arm and offering a voice of a reason as she so often had to in her marriage to the over grown child that was the King of France "This Anne de Bruiel managed to get past all of our security and background checks to get into Armands service, she is clearly a very accomplished deceiver"

"That she is Majesty" Richelieu said with a grateful smile "And" he added hoping to ease Louis tension and get himself back into his good books as soon as possible "At least she was prevented from doing any damage to your majesties persons"

"But one of my Musketeers was hurt!" Louis snapped sulkily "I can't have my party with them now!"

Richelieu resisted rolling his eyes and instead dug his nails into his palms forcing as sympathetic a smile as he could manage "At least the Musketeer Athos will make a full recovery and you can have a party once he is well enough" 

Louis visably brightened at this his whole face lighting up with joy at this suggestion "We can combine it into a welcome home party!" he declared clapping his hands "And we must have a special cake baked in the emblem of the Musketeers with lots of butter icing!"

"Indeed Majesty" Richelieu agreed his smile making his jaw hurt "What a superb idea!", he made sure that he kept the smile on his face even as he saw Anne snickering in a most unqueenly fashion!

"I'll trust you can make all the arrangements for our party Armand!" Louis cheerfully said "And I want a bouncy Castle!"

Richelieu balked "A bouncy castle?"

"I'm told d'Artagnan likes bouncing on beds as much as he likes swinging off chandeliers" Louis replied "He'll enjoy a bouncy Castle as much as I will, ohh and one of those soft ball pits, in fact a whole fun house with those joke mirrors, moving floors, slides and everything!"

"It might be best if we call in a carvival company to set up this party" Anne said and Richelieu silently groaned as another light dawned in Louis eyes

"We'll hire a carvival!, they can come and set up in the grounds for the day!, perfect Anne I love you!" he delivered an enthuseastic kiss to Anne's lips and hopped off the throne strutting happily "Candy floss, popcorn, chocolate coated peanuts...!" he hummed as he headed out into the gardens

"This is a terrible idea!" Richelieu sighed "The King of France on a Helter Skelter!"

"It could be worse" Anne offered 

"How?"

"He could be entertaining the Russian Ambassedor on his own!"

Even Richelieu had to agree with that!.

 

Hospital 

 

Finding out which Hospital Athos was in was not difficult for Milady once she had hacked into the Palace's network and gone through the files, and she had no difficulty in entering the hospital, certainly not when she was dressed in a mini skirt that was so short it was barely legal!. 

Her long shapely legs were accentuated by her high heels and her skin tight low neck lined top with a cropped denium jacket showed off her slim waist and full breasts, which with her overly heavy make up and bimbo smile she managed to get past an security without any difficulty since the idiots were too busy looking at her legs, breasts, and backside to think about anything else.

Once inside the hospital she made her way through the halls until she found a young Doctor who was likely in his first year, the hardly out of adolesence young man's eyes widdened and a dorkish smile spread over his face as Milady sashayed up to him   
"Hi!" she said with an overly bright smile 

"Uh Hi!" he stammered back trying and failing to keep from gazing at her breasts 

"You don't know where the private wards are do you?, I'm looking for my big brother Olivier d'Athos de la Fere and I've got soooo lost!", twirling her fingers through her hair extensions Milady gave an insipid laugh "I'm just hopeless at directions y'know?, I can't think about anything like that!"

"Right....of course" the Doctor said "The Private wards......"

"Uh huh!, my big brother's gonna be so happy t'see me!" she declared giggling again 

"I'm sure" the Doctor breathed looking down her top most indecently! "The Private wards, right you take the lift the the top floor and take the first right corridor"

"Thanks so much you're soooo sweet!" Milady cooed kissing the Doctors cheeks making him gulp and gape like a fish out of water while she strutted away to the lifts "Men are so easy!" she muttered stepping into the lift and punching the buttons to the top floor.   
While she stood there she took her gun out of her bag and fixed a silencer to it then tucked it under her right arm insider her coat and shot a bright smile to the middle aged couple who were waiting on the top floor as she exited the lift.   
Waiting a moment to make sure she was alone she headed down the corridor to Athos's room, without a seconds hesitation she drew out her gun and fired twice killing the two guards outside the door and stepped inside the hospital room where Athos lay defenselessly asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

It was strange Milady mused as she observed Athos, just how young and innocent sleep could make a person look. In complete relaxation it was as if all the usual lines and creases of stress and age were wiped away leaving the smooth clean shell that had first covered the body at birth.

She could have spent years waking up and falling asleep to that face, she had in fact spent years doing so and had enjoyed it as much as it killed her to admit it.

She had planned to just fire her gun and splatter his brains upon the pillow but as she stood there before the bed she found herself hesitating and instead walked up to the head of the bed and leant down placing a chaste kiss on Athos's slightly parted lips 

"I'll miss you my darling" she whispered stroking his cheek one last time then stood up and aimed her gun at his temple "At least it'll be quick".

 

As insane as he was d'Artagnan still had to follow natural bodily functions like the need for the toilet every so often.

After bouncing off the walls with a sugar hype he had curled up like a cat and slept at the end of the bed for a few hours before waking needing the toilet and had padded out of the room and down the corridor paying absalutely no attention to the guards who snickered at his bare feet and batman pajamas.

While in the bathroom he paused before the mirror while washing his hands. 

He hardly ever bothered looking in mirrors these days, he rarely saw what was truly in reality anyway so what was the point?, today however he looked in the mirror seeing himself both at present and in the past where he was perhaps seven or eight?.

He could see himself in his white martial arts clothes with a green belt about his waist and an eccstatic grin on his face.

"Weldone sweetheart!" Alexandre said to his younger self kissing his head and ruffling his chin length messy hair 

"Gonna be a professional Papa!" little Charles declared and performed his new moves 

"A little Bruce Lee in the making!" Alexandre laughed beaming at his son.

 

"Papa!" d'Artagnan whispered reaching out his fingers to the glass as if he could touch his Father but all his fingers reached were cold refletive glass, twin tears slid down his cheeks as his Father's image turned to look at him and smiled 

"I love you" d'Artagnan whispered taking a ragged breath "I miss you Papa!, I avenged you and I miss you!"

A sneezing noise drew his attention away from the mirror and d'Artagnan frowned, leaving the bathroom he padded back out into the hall to see the two guards at Athos's door laying dead from gun shot wounds to their heads!.

 

Without even thinking about it d'Artagnan ran at top speed into Athos's room and launched himself at Milady!.

The gun fired as Milady's fingers curled about the trigger as she was thrown back onto the floor with an insensed d'Artagnan who was like an angered hellcat punching her in the face and kneeing her in the ribs and stomach while shrieking like banshee!. 

Between the noise of that and the bullet hitting the wall Athos was awoken and cried out in shock, he reached for the emergency alarm button clamping his fingers around it and called for aid, while Nurses weren't police they would be better than nothing.

Dizzy from the morphine he unsteadily began to rise from the bed placing his feet on the cold floor and only just managed to dodge d'Artagnan being thrown back against the bed frame with four deep gauged down his cheek from Milady's nails and winded from the blow to the chest her high heels had delivered.

"Damn you you bloody lunatic!" Milady snarled aiming her gun at d'Artagnan's chest!

"No!" Athos cried in horror and tried to lunge for Milady but as dizzy as he was he only succeeded in falling to the floor and let out a cry as his stitches tore open spilling fresh blood from his chest!

d'Artagnan flew for Milady again without a second consideration for the gun which fired and the bullet tore a deep gaze across d'Artagnan's ribs.

 

While he felt the pain he did not register it and instead wrapped his hands about Milady's wrist and sank his teeth into the flesh making her scream and beat at him with her free hand as his sharp teeth drew blood and jarred the nerves into forcing her to drop the gun 

"You freak!" Milady screamed and let out a howl of pain as d'Artagnan back handed her breaking her nose and ripping out a large chunk of flesh he pulled his head back up and spat the flesh and blood across the room and wirled round wrapping his hands about her throat 

"No one hurts my baby!" he growled tightening his fingers and pressing his thumbs into her throat cutting off her air making Milady choke and gasp her eyes bulging and several veins popping in them 

"d'Artagnan!" Athos forced out pressing a hand to his chest as blood poured from the wound "Don't.....!"

D'Artagnan was too far gone to comprehend him though he continued to strangle Milady until she drove her finger nails into his bleeding side making him scream and loosen his grip giving her the opportunity to knock him off her and kicked him in the stomach winding him painfully then scambled to her knees and retrieved her gun from the floor taking aim upon d'Artagnan again 

"You're a rabid dog that needs putting down!" she spat at him 

"Anne don't!" Athos cried weakly.

 

Several things happened at once then, the door burst open and nurses and orderlies poured into the room, Milady fired the gun as d'Artagnan leapt at her, the bullet hit him in the abdomen throwing him to the ground with a cry like a wounded animal.

He curled up in a fetal position clutching at his bleeding stomach with shaking hands as Milady was tackled by two orderlies, the gun forced from her hands and made a citizens arrest of her whilke the nurses went to d'Artagnan and Athos.

"Major abdominal gun shot wound, through and through at least one major organ punctured" one of the nurses stated "Alert Trauma team that we're coming down!"

"Second gun shot to the ribs possible punctured lung from broken bones" a Male nurse rattled off 

"d'Artagnan!" Athos cried as a nurse pressed a bandage to his bleeding chest, inspite of the fact he was sweating profusely and bleeding heavily Athos tried to go to d'Artagnan who'd passed out with blood loss 

"Stay still!" the nurse admonished him 

"I need to see if he's alright!" Athos protested 

"Yeah check on you psycho rent boy never mind about me your fucking wife!" Milady shrieked at him as she was dragged from the room "Fuck you Athos!, a nut job suits you right you worthless bastard!"

"And d'Artagnan is worth ten of you, you traitorous bitch!" Athos roared after her wincing for the pain in his chest

"We need to get him to theatre!" one of the nurses said as a stretcher was brought in for d'Artagnan 

"Take a blood sample cross match for blood and plasma" another said

"God d'Artagnan!" Athos whispered watching in horror as his young lover was lifted onto the stretcher and wheeled out of the room with a face as white as chalk 

"He'll be alright won't he?" Athos asked the nurse who was trying to deal with his wound 

"Lets just focus on you" she said pressing another bandage against the wound 

"I swear if he dies then I die!" Athos whispered looking to the ceiling "Without him I have nothing left to live for".

 

 

For Treville it was like a nightmare playing out in reality when he received a phone call from the hospital about Athos being attacked by a woman with a gun, the guards killed and d'Artagnan hurt.

Collecting Aramis and Porthos from the garrison and wishing he could have never seen the two of them doing whatever it was they were doing in the pool that would never think about ever again so long as he lived!, he drove them straight to the hospital to get some news.

"Captain Treville?" the security officer asked as they entered the hospital

"Yes?"

"We have the woman in custody, she is being treated for a broken nose and a serious bite to her wrist but the Doctors are happy to release her to your custody as soon as they've stitched her up"

"Bite?, sounds like d'Art took a chunk out of her!" Porthos snorted

"Pity he didn't rip her throat out!" Aramis spat 

Treville waved a hand at them to shush them as Athos's consultant came up to them   
"How are my men?" he asked without beating about the bush

"D'Artagnan is in surgery, he has sustained two gun shot wounds, one to the ribs which grazed his side and cracked several ribs but luckily did not damage his lungs" The Doctor said

"And Athos?" Aramis asked nervous lifting his right hand to his mouth bite on his thumb nail 

"His wound has been reopened and he's lost a lot of blood" the consultant said with a deep sigh "I am also concerned that he maybe developing an infection".


	16. Chapter 16

Chaterlet

 

Milady glowered at Treville and Richelieu from across the table, her swollen bruised eyes narrowing all the more as she looked about the dimly lit interrogation room.

"You'd think that considering this is a prison reserved for terrorists and traitors that it'd be a little state of the art" she flippantly said tapping her fingers on the plastic lining over the table top, "Yet it's just like any other prison, crap lighting, stinking of mould, disinfectant and piss, with guards who are even thicker than the walls!"

"What would you prefer?" Richelieu asked icily "Crome and glass with a cocktail bar?"

"Well if you're offering I'll take a double vodka martini!" 

Richelieu grinned like a wolf at the Milady's remarks, calm she may seem just sitting their complaining back the conditions and demanding drinks but as a shrewd observer of human behavior he could see the terror she was trying to hide behind her sarcasem.

Her fingers were nervously tapping a beat on the table top to hide the fact her hands were shaking, her eyes had been narrowed to hide the deer in the headlights look, her hard smile stopped her lips from trembling, and the commentary was a way to stall for time.   
She was terrified, she knew that she was beaten and for the first time in her life had no way out, and Treville weren't going to have to work on breaking her as she was already broken, now it was just a matter of asking the right questions to get the answers they needed and fortunately Richelieu was leading this interrogation for while Treville excelled when it came to action, Richelieu was the master of double talk and sly wit.

 

Taking a breath he leaned back in his chair looking Milady over "No doubt you've developed some quite expensive tastes over the years" he said conversationally "Designer brand name clothes, four and five star dining, sports cars, the full jet set life style"

Milady shrugged "It's not a crime to appreciate the finer things in life"

"It is when you commit treason to maintain said life style" 

Milady managed to conceal her flinch well and kept the forced smile on her face "Alleged Treason" she purred

"Of course!" Richelieu pretended to laugh "You are not a terrorist who shot Monsieur Athos two nights ago!, nore were you the one who shot and killed the two guards outside his room you were just a visitor who happened to be carrying a gun!"

"Possession of an unlicenced firearm is hardly a major offence" Milady said with a shrug "I was just visiting Athos and then that...........demented creature attacked me for no............"

"Drop the act your prints were on the gun and ballistics have already matched it to the bullets fired into the two guards and the guns shots of Athos and d'Artagnan" Treville said cutting her off "Thats three murders when we include the murder of Thomas de la Fere, and two attempted murders of Athos and d'Artagnan we have you for, you are looking at a very lengthy sentence in prison even without the charge of treason and terrorism on top for which you could, should the King wish it be executed" 

Capital punishment was rarely envoked in France these days, life sentences in prison were more the norm to execution however there had still been a handful during Louis's reign who had been hung and Milady could very well go the same way.

Richelieu smiled at her again "Clearly you are a very intelligent woman" he said "You have been able to evade the Police for years, reinvented yourself with a whole new persona, history, and style, I doubt very much that there are many people who could do as you have and do it so well"

Milady nodded her head at the compliment 

"It would also be a shame to let such talents go to waste either by your execution or imprisonment".

 

Now this got Milady's full attention and she sat up straighter looking from Richelieu to Treville and back "If you have an offer make it" she said her tone business like 

"Simple" Richelieu said "You work for us, for the Monarchy as covert agent, a female James Bond if you would like!, you will put those skills of yours to use for the benifit of France, you will seduce, entrap, and eliminate those whom we order you to and in return you will have your freedom"

"Freedom?" Milady repeated 

"Of sorts" Richelieu said "You will implanted with a device that will allow us to track you wherever you are in the world, we will provide your acomodation and a clothing and sistinance allowance that I assure you can be very generous, and all you have to do is what you have proven to be so very good at", he leaned forward with a cold smile "Killing people".

 

While Treville was generally a stickler for the law he was also a realist, he knew in this world where their enemies lurked in shadows, formed groups on computers, could be anywhere and anyone at all the only way they could possibly counter them was with breaking the rules themselves. 

A person like Milady was perfect for this kind of work, expendable, no conscience, and driven by greed, with the bio implant they would be able to control her, and with her skills there was no telling just how many terrorists they would be able to bring down.

"How will this work?" she asked curiously 

"If you accept the offer then you will go through a trial and sentencing" Richelieu said "Only you will "Hang yourself" in your cell the first night after you are sentenced, as far as world will be concerned you will be dead"

"And then?"

"You will be given reconstructive surgery to your face again to alter your appearance, a completely new hair style and colour, and given a new name and indenity of our choosing" Richelieu explained "Your old life will cease to exist and you will be a servant of France forth with".

 

Milady sank back in her chair letting out a breath. Of all the things she'd expected to happen this was not one of them.

A life as an assassin?.

Well it wasn't like she had problems taking lives, and it was certainly better than jail, and she could play by the rules for a while she could always have the traker or whatever removed sometime down the line and go her own way.

Smiling now she leaned forward to display her clevage to Richelieu "Lets get this show on the road"

"Before you get ready to party there is still the matter of who you are working for" Treville interjected "Who is behind the terrorist threat against their Majesties?"

"How d'you know I'm not working for myself?" Milady countered making Richelieu chuckle 

"You're good but you're not that good!" he said "So just tell us, who we're looking for?"

Milady pursed her lips and tapped her nails on the desk "Rochefort" she said, well there was no honor among thieves after all!, "The Comte de Rochefort".

 

Hospital

d'Artagnan had come through surgary and was resting in recovery having had a kidney and his spleen removed.  
He should have been on total bed rest, he was still receiving blood, plasma, and saline via his IV for heaven sakes not to mention the morphine and anti-biotics he was on that should have kept him knocked out for at least another six hours.

However d'Artagnan was not a normal person, and as soon as he was conscious enough to do so he had ripped out his IV, pulled the heart moniter tabs off his chest and padded out of his hospital room to go in search of Athos apparently not noticing or at least not caring about his bleeding hand or the staples holding his abdomen together!.

 

Athos had been moved into intensive care and given another private room while he was being treated for the infection that had sunk into his wound.

The Nurses and Doctor had stopped the bleeding and restitched the wound and right now were pumping him full of powerful anti-biotics to kill the infection and prevent septicemia from hitting him.  
Unconcsious again Athos lay on his bed sweating bullets and shaking as his body fought along with the anti-biotics to free him from the infection.  
His skin was the colour of chalk and dark circles surounded his eyes that moved beneath the lids as he dreamed. His lips were dry and chapped, and his hair was plastered to his scalp with sweat.  
He had never looked more terrible in his life and yet to d'Artagnan who by some homing instinct or other managed to find his way to Athos's side, he had never looked more adorable!.

Smiling and making his way over to the bed he climbed up onto it and rubbed his face like a child and settled himself down with his head on Athos's chest contentedly.

 

D'Artagnan's disappearance naturally created one hell of a comotion that drew Aramis and Porthos from their waiting room vigil where Aramis had been asleep with his head on Porthos's chest and the larger mans arm about his shoulders while Porthos snored with his head tipped back against the wall!.

Both however were on their feet in an instant when search for the missing d'Artagnan began.

"How the fuck d'you loose 'im man?" Porthos demanded of the consultant "He's fresh outa friggin' surgery and somehow you manage to loose 'im!?" 

"What d'you want me to do?" the consultant snapped back at him "Lunatic should have been sent to the psych ward we're not equipped to deal with him here!"

Porthos growled like an enraged dog and moved in on the consultant baring his teeth menacingly "What you say?" he hissed 

"Port' wait" Aramis said studying the floor and pointed to the blood drops "I think we can follow the trail of bread crumbs he left for us!"

"Or in this case blood drops!" Porthos grunted moving away from the consultant who let out a sigh of relief, "Lets go find him then!" he said to Aramis shoving his hands into his pockets and squaring his shoulders with a deep sigh.

Neither were overly surprised when the blood drops lead to Athos's room or that they found d'Artagnan curled up with Athos looking quite content.

"Well somethings don't change" Aramis said "Even with a gun shot wound d'Artagnan's still following after Athos like a puppy"

"Damn vicious Puppy at times!" Porthos snickered "As the poor bastard who trys to move him will find out!"

"Maybe we should make sure they don't move him!" Aramis said "Safer all round I think!".


	17. Chapter 17

Hospital

 

"Oww Goddamnit!"

"He's biting me!"

"You little demon!"

"Take his bloody arms!"

"Argh my fucking ribs!"

"Watch....watch the legs!"

"Oh fuck!"

"Damn right in the bollocks!"

"Will someone help hold his arms!?"

"You kiddin' he's already taken a chunk outa me!"

"And made Billy a soprano!"

"Fuck you man!"

 

This was what awoke Athos as he finally came round from the heavy doses of anti-biotics and pain killers.

Blerry eyed and fuzzy headed he slowly focused on what looked to be a knock down drag out fight going on before his bed between an enraged d'Artagnan, two orderlies, three nurses, and a very harassed looking Doctor all of whom were sporting injuries as they tried and failed to take control of d'Artagnan.

"God sakes just hold him for a moment and lets sedate him!" the Doctor sighed having grown exasperated by struggle to get one skinny as a stick young man under control!

"Whats going on?" Athos demanded as loudly as his dry throat would allow 

"Athos!"

In a second d'Artagnan went from a ravening wolf to fluffy puppy and was bounding up onto the bed and wrapping himself about Athos kissing him all over 

"We need to examin his injuries and change his dressings" the Doctor said some what tersely "He refused to allow us to take him from.....you"

"Understandable" Athos said while d'Artagnan kissed every inch of his face "Love can you behave for a few minutes while the Doctor checks you over?"

"No don't like him!" 

The childish response made Athos snort with amusment while the Doctor glowered 

"It's in your best interests darling" Athos said cupping d'Artagnan's cheek and stroking it with his thumb "You really need to be checked over, you don't want to get an infection"

d'Artagnan pouted and looked over his shoulder at the Doctor "He's evil!" he said to Athos 

"I'm what!?" the poor Doctor exclaimed 

"He has scowly eyes and a hairy worm on his lip!" 

Athos couldn't help but burst into laughter at d'Artagnan's description of the Doctor's face and rather bushy moustache!

"His hands are all boney like a goul!, and gouls eat people!" 

"God sakes!" the Doctor cried while Athos choked on his laughter, to the Doctors dismay the nurses and orderlies were struggling to maintain their composure too!

"Love I'm sure he's not a goul but if it'll make you feel better how about letting one of the Nurses examin you?" 

d'Artagnan considered this looking around the room at the nurses and hissed like an angry cat at the Doctor!, finally he pointed to the nurses standing between the other two   
"She's got a cup cake face!"

"I've a what?" the bemused nurse asked 

"Take it as a compliment, he loves cup cakes" Athos advised suspecting that d'Artagnan was reffering to the rather over zealous use of blusher on her cheeks that gave them a rather too pink glow 

"Well I like cupcakes too so we have that in common" the nurse said aproaching d'Artagnan some what cautiously but he matter of factly stripped off his hospital gown and lay back on the bed stark naked staring at the ceiling without so much as blinking 

"Alright sweety just hold nice and still for me now" the nurse said carefully peeling back the dressing to reveal the neat surgical stitching and carefully felt about the wound for internal distress of which there was none, "Swabs, gauze sterial, and a fresh dressing" the Nurse said to her collegues who complied and handed over the kit for her to quickly clean the wound over and redress it before moving on to check his ribs which were clean aswell though more bruising had come out leaving d'Artagnan's normally tanned skin a colourful mess of blue, black, and purple bruising.

"No signs of infection, all the wounds are clean and healing well" She reported to the Doctor 

"Well thank heavens for that!" he snapped "And while I'm here we may as well do your check up as well" he said to Athos moving to begin doing so only to have d'Artagnan leaping up snarling at him "Not this again!" 

"d'Art honey it's alright let the Doctor do his job!" Athos said 

"Won't let him eat you!" d'Artagnan growled 

"I can examin Monsieur Athos while I'm standing here Doctor" Cupcake nurse said 

"It'll keep his guard dog happy" one of the other nurses snickered 

"Go ahead" the Doctor spat taking his mobile phone out of his pocket and dialling a number "Ah Captain Treville I really must protest at having this lunatic here!, he's a menace!..................I don't care how much you're paying for their treatment..................I don't care if his Majesty is making a generous donation I want........................................I am a Consultant I can not be replaced!........................" the Doctor disconnected the call with a face like thunder, gathering what was left of his dignity which considering his morning so far wasn't much he turned on his heel and walked out of the room leaving the nurses to care for Athos while d'Artagnan settled himself back in bed with him uncaring that he was stark naked and there were other people present in the room with him and Athos.

"The infection looks to be improving, no signs of it spreading or of necrosis" Nurse Cupcake said and set about changing the dressing for Athos and making sure he was comfortable before she and the others departed leaving him and d'Artagnan alone.

"You know sweetheart we're going to have to have a talk about appropriate behavior at some point" Athos said putting his good arm about d'Artagnan and resting his hand on a slim hip "You can't go about biting everyone"

"I don't bite everyone just people I don't like!" d'Artagnan said "Goul man deserved it!"

"Goul man!" Athos snorted 

"Love you" d'Artagnan purred stretching like a cat and then slithered down the bed to rest himself over Athos's legs and pushed up the older mans hospital gown and began kissing his way up Athos's thighs to his previously flacid cock that was unsurprisingly starting to stiffen 

"d'Art....." Athos groaned his breath hitching "We can't........." he broke off with a gasp as his cock was suddenly enveloped into a warm moist heaven. 

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell d'Artagnan to stop, it really was!, but all Athos found himself capable of doing when he opened his mouth was moaning and gasping!, d'Artagnan had his wicked mouth and a very talented tongue he decided as he gave up trying to stop this and let his insane lover have his way, reaching down he fisted a handful of d'Artagnan's hair and applied a little pressure to his head, not enough to hurt but enough to show that he didn't want this to stop.

d'Artagnan's hands slid further up his body to torment his nipples and add to his rapidly disintigrating self control!, before he knew it Athos was bucking his hips and and writhing on the bed in utter abandon as d'Artagnan deep throated him so much it was as if he didn't even have a gag reflex and pinched his nipples sharply, the twin sensation of pain and pleasure shredded Athos's mind completely and the last thing he saw was stars until he was slowly coming round with d'Artagnan nestled up against his side again drawing pictures on his chest with his finger tips.

"I fainted didn't I?" Athos groaned, great just bloody great!, he'd passed out during an orgasm like he was a sodding adolescent!

"Sleep and dream of me" d'Artagnan replied continuing to draw on Athos "Pretty skin, pretty Athos!"

"Pretty?" Athos mentally shrugged he could live with that!.

 

It was just after midday with Aramis, Porthos, and Treville came back to the hospital with news for Athos, and for d'Artagnan assuming he was going to be in a receptive mood to hear it.

"Surely you're getting a headache doing that!" Athos was heard to be saying as they aproached his room 

"Nope, seeing pretty red though!"

"That'll be the blood rushing to your brain"

"Pretty!" 

Aramis and Porthos exchanged bemused looks that turned into grins as they entered the room to find d'Artagnan doing a head stand besides Athos's bed start naked!

"How longs he been like that?" Treville asked 

"Fifteen minutes and counting!" Athos replied "And uh sorry about the phone call this morning!"

Treville shrugged "It was better than listening to Richelieu bemoan the fact he needs to go through the process of finding a new private secetary!"

"I trust Anne is enjoying her stay at his Majesties pleasure" Athos drawled hoping vindictively that she had a filthy six by six cell and was wearing a hiddious prison issue jump suite and being fed on the cheapest lousiest food possible.

"Actually thats something I need to talk to you about" Treville said with a sigh "We, his Majesty, Richelieu, and I have made some what of a deal with Anne"

Athos's happy expression faded "What does that mean?" he asked in a dangerously low voice. 

At hearing his lovers change of tone d'Artagnan rolled down from his head stand jumped up and rejoined him on the bed staring at Treville with an expression that dared him to upset Athos!.

 

Treville sighed and took a seat "You have to understand this is a complicated situation, while I know she deserves prison the fact is her skills as a con artist and an assassin make her of great use to the Monarchy"

"Use to the monarchy?" Aramis spat in disgust 

"Yes!" Treville replied "Just as your skills make you all useful to the Monarchy!"

"Hey, you mind not comparing us to that psycho bitch!" Porthos said "Shit d'Art's crazy but at least he ain't no murderer!"

"He is actually!" Treville corrected "Ten times over in fact!, he slaughtered that Gang which was why he was incaserated and would have remained in that assylum had it not been for the fact his skills made him useful to us!"

Porthos made a face "It ain't the same, those guys he offed deserved it!"

"Maybe they did" Treville said cooly "But the law does not see it that way"

"Then the law is a load of shit!" Aramis snarled "Especially if it condemns d'Art for avenging his Father while letting that murderous bitch go free!"

Treville smiled toothily "Who said anything about letting her go free?" he asked silencing the men 

"What d'you mean?" Athos asked 

"What I mean is that she will be kept on a very tight leash, she might think that she's earned herself a get out of jail free card but she has not, her life, her everything will be controlled by us, she will wear what she is told to wear, eat what she is told to eat, go where she is told to go, and fuck who she is told to fuck!" Treville explained "She may be living outside of a prison, even living in expensive acomodation and dining on lobster and champagne but she will only be doing so in our service and will be under our constant scrutiny"

"A Puppet on a string" Aramis said "With you pulling the string"

"Indeed"

"You can't trust her" Athos said shaking his head "She'll betray you first chance she gets!"

"We don't trust her an inch!" Treville laughed "Who would?, she won't have any choice but to be loyal to us and there will be no where she can hide from us either. She is having a device implanted into her body, rather like an animal is microchipped, only instead of this being in an ear it will be implanted into her brain stem and will send out a constant signal broadcasting her location to us at any time"

"And whats stopping her removing it?" Porthos asked 

Aramis shook his head and smiled "She can't babe, not where it is"

"Eh?"

"Her brain stem?, she tries to have it removed it'll either kill her or leave her a quadriplegic"

"Or severely brain damaged" Treville stated "In short we have her under control, our control" he looked to Athos "Will that be sufficiant for you?"

Athos considered it, if there was one thing he knew his ex wife hated it was to not be in control of a situation, now she wouldn't have any control at all, she'd be a slave to the French monarchy for the rest of her life, would be made to bow to their will constantly, for her it would likely be worse than prison where at least she'd have a little say in her day to day life, and unlike prison she would not be getting a parole for good behavior.

Slowly he nodded his head in acceptance

"Good" Treville said "Because to see this through you're going to have to work with her once last time".


	18. Chapter 18

Bastille

 

Milady ran a hand over the back of her neck feeling the peach skin like shaved patch of hair and the raised joining of her flesh where it had been opened and closed by the neurologist when he had placed the implant inside her. 

"A twenty first century ball and chain!" she muttered bitterly, she doubted very much that she would ever be able to find a surgeon capable of removing the device without killing her or at the very least leaving her a vegetable. 

Lowering her hand she went to the mirror to examin herself and her new hair style.

At least Richelieu had agreed to give her a decent hair stylist to get a new look. 

Her hair was died a shocking white blonde and cut into a sheer elfin bob with a dramatic feathered fringe crossing her forehead and forming a sharp point at her jaw on the left, the right side had a similar point then the hair over her ears was cut up into a close cropped sharp point and then from her crown her hair was feathered down to the nap of her neck forming a final point at her neck stem which covered the scar.

As always she had changed her make up and clothes to go with the new style.

This style was very sharp and demanded sharp clothing to match. Form fitting pencil skirts with high waists, fitted shirts, expensive suits, stilleto heels, and small jewellery, like a single chained pearl necklace, or a tiny diamond pendant upon a fine gold chain.

She changed her make up to fit the new sleek sophisticated style, her foundation and powder was a far paler shade to the one she had worn as the starlet style, this was a light peach and cream shade with a pale rose petal blusher for her cheeks.

Her eye make was kept to the neutrals, light browns and beiges with just a slight hint of pink and lilac, no eyeliner but she use a thick layer of black mascara to bring out her eyes. 

Her lips she decided on a pink/brown matt lip stick or a clear lip gloss depending on the outfit she would wear.

Today she opted for a shocking scarlet silk skirt suit with a black satin slip beneath the jacket and a pair of strappy three inch stilleto heals in bright red to match.   
About her throat she tied a cream scarf with embroidered roses upon it to cover the scar on her throat.

"Much better than that glamour model look you had before" 

Milady jumped a little and then turned to see Richelieu standing behind her "I would say anything is better than a tango tan and excessive extensions" she replied in a crisp Oxford accent that made Richelieu raise an eyebrow   
"My new identity, MS Anna Charlotte Faires is a graduate of the Lonsdale Colledge of Oxford England, she has an accent to match, she holds a Masters degree in Languages and Literature, has never been married but has had two serious relationships, she likes Nuevo cuisine and period dramas, her favorite colour is red, and she hopes to one day settle down with a professional man, hopefully a Doctor or a Lawyer and have a child, at present she travels from country to country working as a freelance translator to foreign embasseies".

Richelieu nodded his head approvingly "Very nice" he said "Though Anne Faires will have to continue to be Milady de Winter until after Rochefort is dealt with"

"And when he is?"

"When he is MS Faires will have a post waiting for her in New York"

Milady smiled "New York, I've always wanted to go there".

 

****************************************************************************************

Musketeers Garrison

 

Aramis grunted and grit his teeth struggling to stay on his feet as he held the target pads that Porthos was currently beating to a pulp and subjecting his wrists to a state of agony!.

"Okay!" he cried as Porthos rose up to deliver a round house kick "Enough please before I need medical attention!"

"Sorry!" Porthos chuckled appologetically "I guess I got a little carried away"

"A little!?"

Porthos shrugged "This shit with Milady, Anne, whatever her name is, I don't like it"

"Who does?" Aramis said going to the mini juice bar they had in the gym and getting them both a drink each of orange, pineapple, and passionfruit juice 

"I thought Treville was..........I don't know, more noble than most law enforcement officers" Porthos said gulping several mouthfuls of juice down "Guess I made the mistake of thinkin' 'e was better than any other pig I ever met"

Aramis reached over and rested his hand on Porthos's arm "Treville isn't a cop, but you may have made the mistake of putting him up on a pedistal, and are now disappointed to learn he has feet of clay just like the rest of us".

 

Porthos smiled "I guess" he addmitted "I mean I know his reasons for making this deal with her, I know Richelieu's reasons, I ain't naive enough to think that terrorism is stopped by playing by the rules and not making comprimises and difficult choices, hell I know that in WWII the American Navy made a deal with the Mafia to protect their ships from the Nazis!"

"But you thought that Treville woulodn't make those kind of deals under the heading of "For the greater good" right?" 

"Right" Porthos said 

Aramis sighed and chuckled "Should have known better really" he said "Look at all of us!, a former sharp shooter turned Monk who couldn't maintain his vows of chastity!, a Former special Ops soldier turned drunkard, a street thief, and a raving lunatic!, he must have had to grease dozens of palms and twist God knows how many elbows to get us invested as an official team"  
Porthos gave Aramis a lobsided grin "Well when y'put it that way......."

Aramis came round from behind the bar and wrapped his arms about Porthos snuggling him despite the smell of sweat on his clothes and skin "So maybe Treville isn't quite so bad?" 

"Maybe not" Porthos agreed "However this Milady or whatever she's calling herself......."

"Oh by all means hate her as much as you wish!" Aramis said "I know I'm bloody well gonna!"

"Ah now see thats why I love ya!"

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Hospital

 

After days of bed baths Athos was more than ready for the real clean feel of a long hot shower.  
However as he was still rather shaky on his feet he was not to go alone into the cubicle, a nurse was to acompany him into the bathroom to make sure he was safe, well that was the plan anyway, but d'Artagnan soon put pay to that by growling enough to put a Bengal Tiger to shame and insisting on being the only one who went into the bathroom with Athos.

"At least I won't be alone!" he offered rather lamely to the nurse who was left standing in the corridor!.

 

"You know you really must stop growling at and biting people d'Art" Athos sighed as he turned back to his lover who was already in the shower sat cross legged on the floor with his palms above his head to catch the water as it sprayed down on him!.  
This alone might not be so strange but he was still clothed!, albeit in Joker pajamas with a cartoon character face of The Joker emblazened on the chest of the T-Shirt complete with the green hair and metal teeth.

"You're worse than a toddeler for going through clothes" Athos chuckled peeling off his hospital gown and climbing carefully into the shower himself.

The hot water cascading down onto his hair felt heavenly and for several moments he just stood and enjoyed it before reaching for his shampoo only to be beaten to it by d'Artagnan who made a big deal about scrubbing both their hair full of soap and then tried to catch the bubbles!.

While he weas happy to put the shampoo in his hair he was less happy about removing it and Athos had to struggle to get him to hold still under the shower long enough to wash his hair clean!.

Next came the actual washing and Athos quickly learned that d'Artagnan was very tickelish and spent a good ten minutes tormenting him as he squirmed and shrieked with laughter!.

"You are hopeless!" Athos sighed pulling d'Artagnan to him under the water intending just to hold them close but once again d'Artagnan had a different notion and Athos found his cock encased in a palm that was moving up and down in a maddening motion that left him unable to do anything but sag against the wall of the shower cubicle and pray that the nurse didn't stick his head round the door to see if they were alright!.

When he came back down from the pleasent high that followed his release Athos realized that he had yet to return the gesture to d'Artagnan who had brought him to orgasm several times so far. 

Felling negelctful Athos carefully got down on his knees before the boy who gave a startled yelp as his own cock was taken into Athos's hand and then into his mouth.

Athos had little experiance with giving blowjobs but had received enough over the years to know what he was doing and how to make it good for d'Artagnan who actually seemed rather at a loss as to what to do with himself!, surely though this couldn't be the first time someone had given him a blowjob?.

Then Athos remembered just how very young d'Artagnan was and realized that yes perhaps it was the first time, hell considering how young he was he might well still be a virgin!. 

Athos felt an odd mixture of emotions at that realization, pride and smugness for being the first to touch this beautiful boy, sadness for how much d'Artagnan had missed out on thanks to his break down, and a twinge of guilt that he might be taking advantage of d'Artagnan, while the boy continually made the first move Athos had resigned himself to always feeling slightly guilty about allowing a sexual relationship to form between them in regards to d'Artagnan's precarious mental state.

Right now however d'Artagnan was whimpering and panting as his climax drew close and his long fingers pinched Athos's shoulders and held tight to him and actually let out a scream as he came down Athos's throat his eyes wide and bewildered and expression one of total surprise as if he had never expected to do this with Athos. 

Letting the now sated member slip from his mouth Athos grinned and kissed his way back up d'Artagnan's torso until he was standing again and hugged his precious boy   
"We're equal you and me" he said into d'Artagnan's ear "Whatever you do for me I will do for you"

"Why?"

Athos smiled rather saddly at d'Artagnan and cupped his face "Because I love you" he said deciding not to complicate this with lengthy explanations that might confuse d'Artagnan 

"I love you too" d'Artagnan quickly said "Love you like ice cream!"

"How did I know I'd be compared to food with you!?" Athos chuckled kissing d'Artagnan's forehead and then insisted they get out of the shower before the nurse did come in to investigate what was taking so long!.

****************************************************************************************

Musketeers Garrison

 

Ten days later

 

Athos and d'Artagnan were finally released from the hospital and allowed to go home where they were welcomed by Aramis and Porthos who had insisted on throwing a welcome home party for them, and had put out a large spread of party food with more than enough sweet things to please d'Artagnan and had a collection of alcohol free cocktails for them to enjoy since with his painkillers Athos couldn't drink right now at all.

D'Artagnan naturally had to wear the silly pointed party hat and popped so many party poppers he was covered in the streamers!, not that it bothered him as he devoured cookies, brownies, cup cakes, and ice cream hungrily!.

"So how are you doing?" Porthos asked handing Athos a virgin Blue Lagoon that didn't taste too bad without the alcohol 

"A bit sore but alright" Athos replied honestly while touching his healing shoulder "I can move my arm completely again so it's not so bad"

"And this Milady, Anne, business?" 

Porthos was not a tactful person, he never had been and in this case Athos appreciated it, beating about the bush wasn't going to help so being asked outright was far better 

"I hate it" he said truthfully "I don't want to work with her, I don't want to see her, I don't want to be in the same country as her!, but it seems I have no choice so I will do so"

Porthos rolled his lips and squeezed Athos's good shoulder "I'm here if you wanna talk, Mis is too, an I guess you've got Looney Toons!"

"I have at that!" Athos chuckled and frowned as the door bell chimed 

"I'll get it" Aramis said setting down his virgin Sunrise "Porthos get the cake it's time to cut it I think"

"Cake cake cake!" d'Artagnan immediately began to chant and followed after Porthos bouncing about like a hyperactive bunny!

"Back off fruit cakes ya ain't gettin' non till it's been cut!" Porthos groused 

Athos snicked and sipped his drink only to nearly spit it back out of his nose as three new "Guests" came in Treville, Richelieu, and Anne

"Well husband don't you look nicely recovered" she sneered at him "All rested and relaxed, and enjoying a kids party!" she snorted "Must be fitting for the fact your involved with a boy with a mental age of a child!"

Athos opened his mouth to defend d'Artagnan but was beaten to it by Richeliu who gripped Anne's throat tightly enough to make her wince  
"You can still be thrown into a cell and forgotten about" he warned in a low growl "Keep your tongue civil or this deal will be over before it's began!"

Anne glared at him and coughed as her throat was released

"And you expect us to work with her?" Aramis drawled at Treville going to stand by Athos in a show of solidarity as Porthos came back through with d'Artagnan who took one look at Anne and launched himself at her with the ferocity of a ravening wolf!.


	19. Chapter 19

Anne screamed and brought her arms up to protect herself as d'Artagnan leaped upon her throwing them both to the ground!

"Get off me you crazed freak!" Anne yelled out pushing at d'Artagnan's chest and neck and trying to keep him from biting her again 

"Wicked Queen must die!" d'Artagnan shouted managing to slap Anne's face but was kepot from biting her or doing anymore serious damage

"Okay lets call this quites before someone gets hurt" Athos said wrapped his arms about d'Artagnan's waist and lifting him bodily off Anne 

"No no Queen must die!" d'Artagnan protested kicking out his legs and flailing his arms "She has poison apples and evil spinning wheels!" 

"I don't think she does and she's on our side now" Aramis said to the lunatic who Athos deposited in a chair and practically sat on him to keep him down 

"Oh lets not exagerate!" Anne scoffed rising to her feet and dusting herself down "You need to get a muzzle and a leash for that thing!" she spat at Athos who glared back at her

"And I'll need antihistamines to keep from breaking out into a rash being around you!" 

Richelieu cleared his throat and gave everyone a pointed look at everyone "If we can please get back to the matter at hand?" he asked thought his tone made it very clear that this was not a question but a demand.

 

With d'Artagnan continuing to growl like an angry dog and bare his teeth at Anne Athos felt it was better that he remain sat upon d'Artagnan to keep him from attacking his ex-wife again.

Aramis and Porthos joined him with Porthos standing behind the chair and Aramis sitting on the arm of it the four of them forming a united pack that had Treville's lips twitching in amused satisfaction about the fact that they had become a functioning unit as he had hoped they would.

He like Porthos chose to remain standing while Richelieu and Anne took seats upon the corner suite and made themselves as comfortable as they could under their circumstances.

Given those circumstances it was natural that an uncomfortable silence followed with everyone avoiding looking in each others eyes until Aramis finally spoke.

"I think we should probably get on with this" 

"Yes, indeed we should" Richelieu said "And we must form a.....working relationship between us and put all past issues aside"

Anne snickered in scornful amusment while Athos glowered at her

"Even when past issues include murder?" Porthos asked looking at Anne as if she were a pile of stinking compost!

Anne bared her perfect teeth in a smile "I haven't tried to kill you yet sweetheart"

Porthos stood up taller and flexed his very impressive muscles "Try it bitch!" he dared her 

"Porthos" Treville warned 

"Please?" Richelieu ground out "Let us focus on the real issues here, which are the need to protect their Majesties"

"And I need to contact Rochefort before he becomes suspicious" Anne stated "If he starts to suspect anything then there is no chance of me being able to double cross him"

"Oh and why should he ever suspect you of that?" Athos drawled his voice dripping in sarcasem 

Anne sneered back at him 

"Once we are agreed on our stratergy you can go and make contact with him" Richelieu agreed 

"Well I have no further information for you until I speak with him" Anne said 

"You don't know what his end game is?" Aramis asked her 

Anne shook her head "He's not a complete idiot, insane yes but not entirely stupid he doesn't reveal everything" 

"But you knew what his ultimate goal was?" 

"Well of course, to kill the King and take over France himself"

Athos snorted and shook his head "And he thought he could defeat all of Frances forces exactly how?, it's not like the privy council would ever willingly elect him as Protecter of the realm!".

 

Even as the words left his mouth Athos's face paled as he realized what Rochefort was likely intending to wipe out the whole privy council along with the King and Queen thus crippling France's government and leaving them without any leaders to take charge.

Naturally in a situation like that they would all look to a surviving member of the council like Rochefort who would happily step into the Kings shoes and make himself King of France damning the whole country in the process.

"Dear God" Treville whispered "The only way he could take out everyone at once would be with a bomb!"

"Or poison" Anne offered, as everyone stared at her she shrugged "Just a theory" 

"I think a bomb is the most likely" Richelieu said "The question is how large a device, where, and when?"

"Thats three questions!" d'Artagnan piped up surprising everyone by the fact he had not only been paying attention but had followed the conversation!

"Nicely spotted looney toons!" Porthos chuckled patting d'Artagnan on the head like he was a puppy! 

The puppy in question pouted up at him "When are we having cake!?" he demanded as if he were not bothered at all by the fact someone was plotting regicide!

"In a little while" Athos soothed or at least attempted to but d'Artagnan was having none of that and let out a sound not too unlike a toddeler having a tantrum when denied a treat 

"I want cake now!"

"God sakes give him some and shut him up!" Anne complained 

"God sakes don't he's sugar high enough!" Aramis warned "Anymore and he'll be bouncing off the ceiling!"

"He does that anyway!" Porthos chuckled 

"Can we please focus on the bomb and not cake for a moment?" Richelieu all but yelled

"What about a chocolate bomb?" Aramis offered sweetly which sent Porthos into hysterics while Athos dipped his head to hide his own smirk at Richelieu's shocked and then outraged expression 

"Want one!" d'Artagnan promptly added.

 

Anne sat back in her seat and regarded Richelieu cooly through her thickly mascara panited lashes   
"And you honestly expect me to work with these imbeciles?".

 

**************************************************************************************

Shangri-la Hotel 

 

Naturally Anne chose one of the most expensive hotels in Paris to stay in on tax payers expense which Richelieu grumbled about but agreed to never the less so she could make contact with Rochefort once more and see what she could find out about his end game.

A bomb did sound like the most logical tactic he would use but without more information of what type of device it was, where and when it was going to be used there was very little she or the Musketeers could do.

Happily settling into her suite Anne ordered a bottle of Dom and a serving of fresh sushi from room service along with booking herself a full facial for the following day along with a back, neck, and shoulder massage, after all her job was highly stressful!.

 

After she got her champagne and sushi Anne lounged on the corner suite with her feet up on the poof and dialled Rochefort's number.

"Rochefort"

"Hello darling I hope you are doing well" Anne purred sipping her champagne "You'll never believe the lucky streak I have had"

"So long as those bloody Musketeers or whatever it is Treville is calling that pack of misfits are taken care of I don't give a damn!"  
The dismissive tone made Anne all the more happy to be double crossing Rochefort and dismissed any trace of guilt she might have felt, (Not that she did anyway!)

"They are dead" she lied "I assume it is not on the news because Treville wishes to keep this secret and not cause a panic", Rochefort only grunted in response so Anne pressed on, "What would you have me do next?" she asked picking up a piece of sushi and dipping it in soya sauce "What is the end game exactly?"

"Why are you so interested?"

Anne paused hearing the suspicion in Rochefort's tone and strived to sound as Nonchalant as she possibly could 

"After all I have been through these past few days I would like to make a fresh start as soon as possible", not entirely untrue really she was looking forward to getting all this done and dusted so to speak

"And I assume you already have a new identity to start you new life with?" 

Anne could practically see the sneer on Rochefort's face and loathed him for it, if there was one thing she hated it was to be treated with disrespect, she might not be an upstanding law abiding citizen but she was not taking shit from a deranged pyschopath like Rochefort!.

Clearing her throat she forced herself to remain civil for the time being reminding herself that he would get his comuppance soon enough and that she would be there to see it.

"I have a whole new look, far better than the bimbo look I had last time you saw me, I have a far more chic and sophisticated appearence in fact" 

"I'm thrilled" Rochefort drawled sounding bored to tears "Where are you staying?"

"The Shangri-La!", Anne grinned and counted to five before Rochefort exploded 

"You are where!?" 

"The Shangri-La" she repeated "I told you I had a streak of good luck, or rather a fat old fool who was far too easy to seduce had a misfortune and died in his hotel room leaving me with his bank cards which I used to access his bank account and took everything he had which lucky for me was not to small an amount either".

 

This was the cover she had concocted with Richelieu, a believable enough story for Rochefort to buy since he knew of her seductive devious ways and it was exactly the sort of thing she would do to survive.

"I suppose he died with a smile on his face!" Rochefort vulgarly snorted adding to Anne's dislike of him, she made a non comittal sound in her throat that seemed to satisfy Rochefort for the time being anyway

"Well keep a low profile" he ordered "I'll contact you when I next want your services, stay out of sight for now there's no point in taking chances on you being recognized"

"Indeed" Anne said gritting her teeth since it looked as if this would be harder than she first thought "So long as I know what the final move is then I am happy"

Rochefort laughed making her hold the phone away from her ear since he sounded like a bad cartoon villain!  
"Trust me Mon Cherie when the time comes you will know everything" Rochefort breathed and then disconnected the call

"Bastard!" Anne cursed, she contemplated throwing her champagne across the room in a fit of frustration but decided Rochefort was not worth wasting a very expensive bottle after all and instead poured herself another glass and turned on the TV, if ever there was a day for chick flicks and indulgence then it was today!.

 

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Garrison

 

Just as Araimis had predicted d'Artagnan was bouncing off the walls after his cake and to try and get him to burn some of his sugar high off Athos set him off on the obstical course which d'Artagnan loved to do over and over again. 

While he kept to the side lines himself Athos kept a close eye on his lover since he was still fresh out of hospital and really should be taking it easy, but d'Artagnan seemed incapable of feeling pain and ran about as if hadn't just had a bullet removed from his abdomen and still had a dozen stitches holding his belly together!.

Athos envied him this a little since he was still reliant of pain killers at present to make his own wound bearable, "Pity they don't make a pill to make Anne bearable!" he muttered to himself watching d'Artagnan flip over the top of the net and bound down the other side then shoot off towards the ropes to swing over the mud pools

"The sooner all this shit is over the better" he sighed.

 

This sentiment was shared by Aramis who had a deep hatred of bombs since Marsac.

While he had held it together in front of Treville, Richelieu, and the bitch from hell!, he'd swiftly gone to the bathroom to vomit after they had left and then spent ten minutes crying over the sink with the water running until Porthos had jimmied the door lock and forced his way inside and wrapped Aramis up in his arms hugging him close.

The big man didn't ask what was wrong at first he just let Aramis cry it out while rubbing his back and stroking his hair, allowing Aramis to get it out of his system before guiding him to the bed and laying them both down on it and spooned about Aramis making him feel warm and secure in the loving embrace.

"I hate bombs" he said with a shaky exhale "All I think of is bodies being blown apart, limbs in all directions, charred flesh, the stink of blood in the air, all I see in my head is Marsac being blown limb from fucking limb by a land mine!"

"Makes sense you'd think of that, a mine is pretty much a bomb when all said and done" Porthos murmured his voice muffled in Aramis's hair 

"Yeah, and I know people say it would have been quick for him, he wouldn't have felt a thing it'd have been so fast but.............what if it wasn't?", Aramis twisted to look at Porthos over his shoulder looking him in the eyes as he asked "What if Marsac didn't die right away?, what if he was a live for a few moments?, what if he felt all of it?"

Porthos opened his mouth to speak but Aramis beat him to it continuing on 

"I use to dream about it you know?, Marsac still alive laying in the sand, his body scattered in all directions, blood everywhere!, and yet he was still alive!, a torso and a head screaming in pain and spitting blood and his eyes glaring at me, blaming me for failing to save him"

"Hey you didn't fail him" Porthos said sharply "He failed you"

Aramis shook his head "I know it doesn't make sense, I know he went into that mine feild of his own accord, I know it was his choice and his decision but.........I can't help but wonder if I had done something, if I had gone with him......"

"Then you'd be dead too and I wouldn't have ever met you or fallen in love with you".

 

Aramis paused a look of shock which then became delight passing over his face   
"Love?" he asked "You love me?"

Porthos shifted and grunted looking uncomfortable "I guess, I ain't right good at this words and feelin's bollocks!, I don't do chocolates and flowers and shit!, and I don't know poetry or romantic crap!, but I do know I ain't never felt like this 'bout anyone before, this fluttery warm feelin' inside when we're close, this need to be with you all the time so I guess that this is love"

Aramis rolled over and snuggled against Porthos kissing him gently "You are better with words that you give yoursef credit" he said taking a deep shaky breath as his lungs replenished themselves after his crying 

"I know I've only felt like this once before, with Isabelle and she...........well you know how that worked out, and I never expected to feel like this again but you.....", Aramis grinned "You opened my heart again after such a very long time and I love you too!"

Porthos grinned and rested his forehead against Aramis's "Then nothin' else matters so long as we've got each other, the poets say love conquers all so with love I believe we will certainly conquer our enemies and save the day and get one of those shiny happy endings like in d'Art's disney films!"

"Hmm a happy ending" Aramis whispered closing his eyes and settling down against Porthos "I like the sound of that".


	20. Chapter 20

It was about two in the morning when Athos awoke dry mouthed and disoriented.

Having become use to being permanently groggy while in hospital thanks to the medications it was a surprise that he had awoken during the night.

Rolling over he made to slide out of bed to go and get himself a drink only to pause when he realized something was missing, or rather that someone was missing.

D'Artagnan.

While the young lunatic did not always spend the entire night in bed with him he never actually left him, he'd been perched on top of the wardrobe, doing head stands in the corner, having conversations with his imaginary friends at the end of the bed!, he never just left.

While there could have been a dozen or more perfectly innocent reasons for d'Artagnan's absence Athos couldn't help the unease he felt at the sight of the empty space in the bed where d'Artagnan should have been.

Getting out of bed Athos slipped his dressing gown on and switched on the bedroom light taking a moment to let his eyes adjust to the brightness before he went out in the hall and made his way through the house to search out his erant lunatic.

His first check was d'Artagnan's bedroom but that was empty too, though d'Artagnan had clearly been in there since the place looked like a bomb had hit it!, every draw was opened, the wardrobe doors were hanging open and every item of clothing had been strewn out across the floor!.

Athos paused in the doorway survaying the damage before exiting the room and heading off to check the rest of the house.

The games room, living room, swimming pool, and gym all proved empty, d'Artagnan never bothered with the dining room so there was no point in checking there so Athos went straight for the kitchen only to find that devoid of the young man as well.

"Where the hell are you?" he whispered to himself heading for the fridge to get a drink when a noise from outside reached his ears and brought a smile to his face, the climbing frame, of course, thats where d'Artagnan would be.  
Pouring himself a glass of chilled water Athos opened the back door and went outside making his way to the climbing frame which was dimly illuminated by the garrage security lights.

Sure enough sat atop of the monkey bars was d'Artagnan with his back turned to Athos muttering to himself while rocking back and forth.

"Feeling like sleeping outside tonight are we?" Athos called up to him

d'Artagnan paused in his rocking then shook his head "Not here, can't hear it" he said and resumed his rocking "Can't hear it can't see it, not here, can't be here!"

This was not d'Artagnan's usual self conversation, he normally babbled about cakes and chocolate, or about fighting pirates and goblins, he never spoke like this.

Cautiously Athos walked closer and stood under the climbing frame looking up at d'Artagnan and blinked as something wet hit his face. Dismissing it at condensation or perhaps rain he he wiped it away and concentrated on d'Artagnan who was humming now and hunched over his lap 

"D'Artagnan are you alright?" he asked, another pause and then more rocking back and forth with continued muttering

"Evil Queen wins, evil Queen cast her spell and now the Prince is gone, can't stop it, can't stop it!, ate the apple and fell asleep and now the forrest is all grown and I can't sing anymore!", a maniac laugh followed this stream of babble only to broken off with a heart wrenching sob 

"D'Artagnan?" Athos asked his worry increasing all the more, moving closer he wiped more wetness from his face and looked at the frame contemplating climbing it, not something he really wanted to do with his shoulder still healing

"Can't sing anymore, all the fishes and birdies flew away and the Prince can't hear me now!"

"d'Artagnan please just come down from there!"

"Prince is lost and the dark has come and eaten me!, it's teeth are cutting me now and soon the worms will be crawling on my eyeballs!"

"d'Artagnan............,?" Athos broke off as his face was splashed again, his eyelid this time and as he wiped his eye he caught sight of his fingers and gasped because it was not clear rain upon them but blood!.

 

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Porthos's hands were pinning his wrists to the bed as Aramis arched his back and wrapped his long legs about Porthos's waist squeezing his thighs tight against him making Porthos gasp and growl while thrusting harder and leaning down to capture Aramis's lips with his own and kissing him with such passion that Aramis tasted blood in his mouth from where his lips had bumped his teeth!.

Twisting his wrists Aramis tried to free his hands so he could touch Porthos, run his hands over his broad muscles and smooth skin but Porthos's grasp was too strong and he was unable to pull free but his attempt did elicit a chuckle from Porthos that rumbled up from deep within his belly.

"Oh you aren't getting free!, you're mine now and you're not going anywhere"

"But I want to touch you, I need to feel you!" Aramis moaned squirming beneath the larger man and keened plaintively "I want to hold you!"

"Hold me with your legs!" Porthos instructed panting "And feel this!"

Aramis cried out as Porthos thrust even harder and hit his prostate with such force Aramis was sure he was seeing stars!

"I'm gonna make sure you feel this for a week!" Porthos declared 

"God yes!" Aramis cried on the verge of ecstasy only to yelp as Athos suddenly burst into the bedroom!.

 

"Fuck mate can't you bloody knock?" Porthos cried pulling the bed sheet up about his hips and covered Aramis with himself 

"It's d'Artagnan!" Athos panted too upset to be embaressed by what he'd walked in on "He's on the climbing frame cutting himself!, I don't think I can get him down without help!".

 

Unsurprisingly Athos's news ruined the mood for Aramis and Porthos. 

Swiftly they got up out of the bed and dressed themselves in anything close to hand then followed after Athos down stairs 

"I'll get the first aid kit ready" Aramis said "Can you two get him down without my help?"

Athos glanced to Porthos who nodded "We can handle it" he said "You climb up and talk to him and I'll stand below ready to catch either of you if necessary"

"Or both of us" Athos muttered grimly 

"Wait!", Aramis's out cry had both Athos and Porthos turning back to him as he paused over the first aid kit box "If he's cutting himself then he's armed isn't he?" Aramis asked 

"Yeah I guess" Porthos said "So?"

"So he's dangerous when he's upset, very dangerous in fact"

"Yeah but he's also bleeding and still weak from surgery so I don't think we'll be in that much danger from him, it's more that he's a danger to himself"

"Well just be careful" Aramis cautioned "I don't want either of you getting hurt either"

Porthos gave him a rakish grin "Don't worry 'bout us pet we'll be fine!".

 

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"Little boy can't sing no more, his voice is gone and his heart is sore, evil Queen took away his prince and he's been broken ever since!"

d'Artagnan was chanting this rhyme over and over while laughing and crying at the same time as Athos and Porthos approached him 

"Lets try not to startle him" Athos said making his way to the climbing frame and clambering up, not a painless proceedur since his shoulder ached angrily 

"Thorns and dragons and storms rage, keeping the boy locked in his cage!. The Prince is lost to the Queen and makes the boys nightmare her dream!"

"d'Artagnan" Athos said gently as he made his way across the metal frame to d'Artagnan now able to see the razor blade in his hand and bloody cuts on his left arm that were dripping down on the ground

"Ghosts and spirts whisper to the boy, they want to make him into their toy!" d'Artagnan sing songed 

"Sweetheart please listen to me" Athos said inching closer to d'Artagnan 

"The gouls and worms want to eat his skin, all the monsters want to get inside of him!"

"d'Artagnan there are no monsters it's just you and me up here, please look at me" Athos pleaded reaching out and gingerly touching d'Artagnan's shoulder

d'Artagnan flinched and turned to look at Athos with tear filled eyes, Athos smiled gently and reached up to wipe his cheek "Why are you up here doing this love?"

"Because you're the Queens now, you want the Queen, she bewitched you and cursed you and took you away!" d'Artagnan said shaking his head and looking away from Athos "Only a trick, nasty trick that goblins play, but I don't see it I don't see it!"

"I'm not a trick d'Artagnan I am right here with you" Athos insisted 

"I ate the apple and now I'm lost to the wicked imps and demons!, they're coming now, coming to eat my eyes and strip my flesh and play with my insides!"

"No they are not because I will not let them!" Athos stated grabbing hold of d'Artagnan now and forcing him to look into his face "I've not been taken by an evil Queen I will never leave you, we are together forever I promise you"

"But you can't be" d'Artagnan whispered "The fairies are gone and only evil remains and there are no dwarves to polish the glass of keep me forever safe from the maggots!"

Athos bit his lips as he tried to make sense of d'Artagnan's rambling, half of what he spoke of was fairy tales and fantasy, the other half was the stuff of nightmares, yet there was still a constant theme he could follow and things he could make sense of.

The Evil Queen was obviously Anne, and that then made him the Prince, so d'Artagnan was the boy.

Thinking this through Athos could make some sense of this, d'Artagnan was worried that Anne and he would get back together, his fears of this had become twisted in his unstable mind and his insanity was making them into a grim fairy story. 

But if that was true then perhaps the way to reach d'Artagnan was as simple as a fairy tale....?

"Sleeping beauty and Snow white were awoken from their slumber by loves first kiss" Athos said to himself "Maybe the troubled boy can be brought out of his tangled thoughts by a kiss too!"

Leaning forward Athos captured d'Artagnan's lips in a kiss silencing his breathy sobs and making the young man jump in surprise.

As he broke the kiss Athos drew back a little to study d'Artagnan's expression which was stunned now instead of broken, his eyes shone with tears but were no longer devoid of life 

"Are you back with me now?" he asked carefully taking the bloody razor from d'Artagnan's limp hand and pocketing it 

"You got free of the Queen?" d'Artagnan asked 

Athos smiled and kissed him again "There is no evil Queen, and even if there were it wouldn't matter because non of her tricks and curses could ever make me turn away from you"

"You won't let her steal my voice?" d'Artagnan asked 

"Never" Athos promised and let out a groan as he was suddenly seized in a tight bone crushing hug! 

"Everything okay now?" Porthos asked from beneath them

"Yes" Athos said "We're coming down, everythings alright isn't it?", from his chest where he'd rested his head d'Artagnan nodded, "Come on then lets go inside and have some hot chocolate, if you're lucky we'll even have marshmallows and cream on it too!".

 

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The cuts on d'Artagnan's arm were thankfully shallow and Aramis was able to stop the bleeding with steristrips and a bandage after he had disinfected them of course.

In a complete contrast to how he'd been but a few minutes earlier d'Artagnan was bright and bubbly once more, licking cream from his hot chocolate and trying to catch the marshmallows with his tongue and laughing as he got a hot chocolate moustache!

"Hard to believe he's the same boy who was cutting himself ten minutes ago isn't it?" Porthos commented as Aramis put the first aid kit away 

"Just another reminder of how fragile he is" Aramis sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter watching Athos talking with d'Artagnan and laughing with him "I'll tell you one thing" he said to Porthos "The sooner this Milady or Anne is out of the picture for good the better, because while she may not be an evil Queen from a fairy story her malice is just as destructive to everyone around her".


	21. Chapter 21

Chateau de Rochefort 

 

The study was only half lit. In private Rochefort had a taste for the dramatic and cliche so the whole of his chateau was styled in gothic and baroque decor, all heavy arches, dark shades, and ancient furniture that cost him a small fortune to keep pristine despite it's age. 

While there was electricity and of course running hot water on tap and modern bathrooms Rochefort prefered to use beeswax candles to add to the gothic effect he enjoyed creating in his home.

Sitting behind his polished oak wood desk he did make an imposing figure as he was dressed in clothing more befitting the renaissance era which he had custom made for him at great expence.   
A loose fitting black linen shirt with black leather breeches that buttoned up the waist, a burnt amber jerkin with black embroidery, and finally a black leather doublet with a belt of solid silver completed his attire for the evening.

Sipping merlot from a real gold goblet Rochefort gazed at the dark clothed man before him.

"I trust you have what we need?" he asked setting the goblet down on the table before him and clasping his hands together almost in a prayer 

"I do" the deep voice replied 

"Anything you need from me now?"

"Just access to the Louvre to move the.....merchandise into the Palais" 

Rochefort smiled, an unpleasent sight under the best of circumstances and in the dim candle light it made his face look truly gargoyle like!  
"I like you termanology for what you will be moving for me" he said lifting his wine again and sipping "Worry not, I'll have access for you as soon as possible"

"And the final payment?"

"On the jobs successful completion of course"

"Whether or not your scheme works is on you not me, I want my money after I've moved your shit for you!" 

Rochefort offered a single head nod in agreement of this and let the shadowed man turn to leave, however as he reached the door of his study he called out to him   
"Vadim!"

The man paused turning slightly but not fully 

"I trust I do not have to remind you of what the consequences will be if you betray me?"

Vadim gave a snort and spat on the floor before stomping out of the study leaving Rochefort to lean back in his chair with his wine and put his knee high booted feet up on the table before him a satisfied smile on his face as he drank his wine.   
Oh Vadim would get his payment alright, Rochefort had a payment in mind for him and the person to deliver it too. After all who would be better to snip a loose thread, (which is all Vadim would be after he had completed his work), than Milady de Winter.

 

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Shangri-La

 

Anne was enjoying a deep muscle massage when her phone pinged with a message interupting the wonderfully relaxing experiance and making Anne groan as the masseur halted the massage so she might rise from the table and cover herself with the towel and go to retrieve her phone and answer the call.

Her nose wrinkled when she saw who it was who had text her.

Rochefort

"Something you need?" she text back

"Your presence here at my home"

"When?"

"Midnight tonight, do not be late, make sure you are not followed"

Midnight!, Milady rolled her eyes, could Rochefort be anymore cliche?

"Naturally" she text back with a sigh and tossed the phone back down on the dresser and turned back to the Masseur with a smile 

"We may now continue" she said sauntering back over to the table and climbed up onto it stretching herself out like a cat in the sunlight "Oh and while your hands are free pour me another glass of champagne too!".

 

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Garrison

"Can you feel the love tonight?, the peace the evening brings, the world for once in perfect harmony with all it's living things"

Athos snuffled and blinked at the sound of singing which drew him from his sleep 

"So many things to tell him but how can make him see, the truth about my past impossible he'd turn away from me"

Rubbing sleep from his eyes Athos looked about and spotted d'Artagnan on top of the wardrobe singing to himself and changing the lyrics to fit what he was trying to get across

"He's holding back he's hiding but what I can't decide why won't he be the King I know he is the King I see inside!. Can you feel the love tonight?, the peace the evening brings, the world, for once, in perfect harmony with all it's living things!"

Rising up from the bed Athos joined in the singing his deeper baratone blending well with d'Artagnan's tennor voice 

"Can you feel the love tonight?, you needn't look to far, stealing through nights uncertainties love is where they are"

Athos grinning up at a surprised d'Artagnan and held out his arms to him "Will you come down to me oh sweet singing morning lark?", not quite Shakespear but poetic enough for Athos 

"Are you my King?" d'Artagnan asked crossing his eyes across his chest and pouting his lips adorably

"Well I don't have a crown!"

"Don't need a crown to be my King!".

 

Clearly d'Artagnan wanted a play a game and if he wanted to get him off the wardrobe and into the shower without a fight Athos needed to play along despite still feeling half asleep.

"Very well" he said congenially "How can I be your King?, do I have to kiss you awake from a deep sleep?, transform from a beast into a handsome Prince?" 

"You're already a handsome Prince" d'Artagnan said swinging his legs over the side of the wardrobe and rested his elbows just above his knees 

"The what, battle a dragon perhaps?", Athos could easily guess who would be cast as the dragon! 

"No" d'Artagnan said "You saved me from the poisoned apples last night, you were the Prince and now you must become King"

"And I do that how?"

"Make me your Queen!"

Athos's eyes widened as he processed that information and wondered about how to forfil d'Artagnan's demand. The obvious would be marriage of course but that was impossible for many reasons, so another solution was needed. 

Racking his brains Athos tried to think of what he should do, what would make d'Artagnan a Queen?, Queen's married Kings, or at least Princesses did and then became Queens upon their marriages.........after coronations!.

Grinning now Athos extended a hand to d'Artagnan "You must come with me for your coronation then my Queen to be!"

D'Artagnan's face became a picture, beaming he hopped down from the wardrobe and took Athos's hand allowing himself to be lead into the bathroom 

"First you must be cleaned and blessed by water" Athos said turning on the shower and nodding at d'Artagnan to undress which he did without hesitation and jumped into the shower, where he was joined by Athos who guided him through a very thorough hair and body washing   
"Now in the name of France I proclaim you cleansed and ready to be dressed in your royal robes"

"Royal robes?" d'Artagnan asked his eyes shining 

"Yes" Athos said thinking fast on what he could use for robes while getting out of the shower and grabbing the towels to dry them both off. 

 

The royal robes were actually made out of a dressing gown with the bed sheet lay over d'Artagnan's shoulders to trail behind him like a train. 

"All that we need now is the crown" Athos said trying to think of what they could possibly use for a crown, remembering playing games a child with weapons made from tin foil Athos bid d'Artagnan wait while he ran down stairs and grabbed some tin foil and folded it into a make shift crown. He shook his head at the bemused glances he received from Aramis and Porthos as they returned from their morning jog, and headed back up stairs to where d'Artagnan was waiting. 

"Now for your vows" he said quite seriously to d'Artagnan who sat up straighter on the bed "Do you d'Artagnan solomnly swear to be loyal and true to France, to serve her and her people from this hour hence forth and to love her King forsaking all others until death do you part?"

"I do so swear" d'Artagnan stated sounding like he was taking a vow before a judge 

"Then I crown you Queen d'Artagnan!" Athos declared placing the tin foil crown onto his head "God save the Queen!"

"And the King!" d'Artagnan cheered jumping up and flinging himself at Athos "And now we must have a celebration feast!, of pancakes, chocolate, and ice cream!"

"Pancakes, chocolate, and ice cream!" Athos repeated "Thats one hell of a breakfast for you!".


	22. Chapter 22

Garrison

 

The Musketeers were boxing when Treville came into the see them.

Porthos was holding a bag while Aramis was giving it what for and Athos was doing the same for d'Artagnan who was mostly kick boxing rather than using his fists but certainly wasn't sparing the bag anything as he put his all into kicking the hell out of it. 

"Good to see you're all taking care of yourselves" Treville said with a smile 

"Just doing our daily training Captain" Porthos said with a grin and leaned his weight onto the bag while Aramis paused to catch his breath and rested his hands just above his knees while he did so

"Got any news for us?" Athos asked allowing d'Artagnan to continue to kick the bag, the lunatic obviously wasn't going to pay attention to Treville and there was no point in making him 

"Not yet" Treville said answering Athos's question "Or at least nothing worth sharing", he knew that Milady/Anne was going to Rochefort's Chateau as the assassin had told Richelieu about Rochefort summoning her. As they did not yet knoew why she had been summoned Treville didn't see the point in telling the Musketeers of this,  
"Please continue" he said gesturing to the punch bags 

"You want to switch?" Aramis asked Porthos while stretching his arms and twisting his neck to loosen the muscles 

"Sure".

 

The two changed places so Porthos could beat the bag for a while. 

Athos would have done the same with d'Artagnan but the lunatics attention had wandered again and he had left the punch bag to go and roll over and over on the bars as if gravity had no effect on his brain at all!.

"I'll work with you" Treville said taking off his jacket and untucking his dress shirt which he removed leaving on only a thin vest beneath

"You sure?" Athos asked wrapping his knuckles in bindings and slipping on boxing gloves 

Treville grinned, "I could do with the work out!".

 

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Chateau des Rochefort

 

Anne sneered at the Chateau as he made her way through the darkened rooms to Rochefort's study.

She had been here before of course, several times, and she had never thought much of the place.

While she had expensive tastes she did not appreciate gothic styles save for ancient Cathedrals and such. When it came to homes she preffered modern places to live, while Anceistorial homes might sound romantic they were really a nightmare. 

Century old buildings were not built for modern convenience like central heating and plumbing. They cost a fortune to heat to keep mold from ruining them and constantly needed repairing. So as historic and romantic as they maybe they were not practical for someone who wasn't interested in devoting their entire lives to their estate.

Anne would much rather live in a modern town house, or appartment that had good WIFI and all the modern conveniences on hand.

She also had little taste for such ostentagious furnishings, it seemed to her that Rochefort was trying to make himself out to be the classic Villain with his creepy mansion that was all dark and heavy textiles, that creaked and groaned and had the suggestion of being haunted by a variety of ghosts.

Sniffing in disdane she rapped her knuckles on the door to the office and stepped inside finding Rochefort bent over a real coal fire that he was stoking with a poker

"Thats hardly good for the enviroment" she commented going straight to the wet board and helping herself to a large brandy and seated herself before the desk making a show of her long slim legs which as always Rochefort ignored completely

"I hardly think we need care about such things considering what we are planning" he said setting the poker down and heading back to the table and sitting himself down

"Vadim will soon place the merchandise where it needed" he said to Anne who regarded him with a closed expression revealing nothing as she sipped her brandy 

"I want him dealt with after he has done so"

"What merchandise exactly is he placing and where is he placing it?" Anne asked knowing she needed as much information as possible to give to Richelieu 

Rochefort however glared at her "That hardly matters" he growled and pointed a finger at her "Do not forget your place, you work for me not the other way round"  
Anne graced him with the barest hint of a smile over her brandy glass and said nothing,

"As I was saying" Rochefort went on "I need you to dispose of Vadim when he has completed the task I have set for him"

"And where shall I meet him?" 

"The rue Saint Jacques, tomorrow night" 

"And his death?" Milady asked finishing her brandy and setting the glass on the table "Do you want it to be............inconspicuous?", she offered this with a half smile as if she were amused by the fact they were talking so openly about murder 

Rochefort did not return the smile or in fact show any emotion at all, "Vadim is a parasite, no matter how he dies his death will not be memorable, the police will make little noise about finding his killer but considering who and what Vadim is they will write it off as just the death of a thug by another thug and leave it there"

Milady nodded and smiled "I'll make sure it is bloody then" she said rising to her feet and smoothing her butter soft knee length leather skirt,   
"Multiple stab wounds is appropriate for a gang related murder I believe"

"Enjoy yourself" Rochefort sneered "You do so love to stab I believe"

Milady smiled coldly and saw herself out of the office debating as she walked whether or not she should just kill Vadim or if she should tell Richelieu about what Rochefort wanted her to do. 

 

Instead of haling down a taxi to take her back to her hotel as soon as she had left the Chateau Milady chose to walk through Paris.   
She kept her pace slow and leisurely and focused on her thoughts rather than anything else. 

Right now she was the proverbial mouse and Rochefort and Richelieu were the cats playing with her, playing with her life.   
As a woman who had prided herself on her ability to manipulate those around her the feeling of being toyed with and manipulated was not one she appreciated, in fact she resented it deeply.

The traker in her neck was what was locking her to Richelieu, if she were to ever be free again then he would have to die, as would the Musketeers and Treville.   
She needed to rid herself of Rochefort too, he was not so much a danger to her as he was a pest, and she could perhaps help herself to all of Rocheforts not inconsiderable fortune if he were to..............maybe die in the very same terrorist attempt that he had orchestrated.

 

Milady smiled to herself, now she was starting to work her way up the food chain again, was moving from being the mouse to the cat once more. 

Yes, killing them all and escaping with Rochefort's money was exactly what she wanted to do.

 

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Louvre

 

Milady was shown into Richelieu's office by Jussac, his most trusted and long serving assisstant who regarded her with undisguised contempt that Milady thoroughly ignored and quite happily helped herself to Richelieu's brandy which was an even finer vintage than Rochefort's had been.

"Do run along!" she said to Jussac making a shooing motion with her hand "I can take care of myself"

Jussac glared at her "You are not going to be left alone in her Madame" he said sneering the title disdanfully

Milady snorted and sauntered across the room to drape herself sensuously on the antique chaise longe kicking off her stiletos and making a show of legs that had an effect on Jussac when they hadn't on Rochefort.

"Just where is the puppet master?" she asked reffering of course to Richelieu "Pulling the Kings strings?", this brought a smile to her face as she imagine Louis as a string puppet jerking about on a stage!

"He'll be along shortly" Jussac replied tersely keeping his eyes front and center and not at Milady's oh so appealing legs!

"Hm, well at least it gives us some time to enjoy each others company doesn't it!?" Milady drawled with a devilish grin.

 

Forty minutes after Milady had arrived Richeliu came into the office with secetary's trailing him and taking files as he went  
"Make sure you call the Foreign Secetary first thing in the morning" Richelieu ordered "I want his take on this issue"

"Yes Sir" the Secetary said making a note on her Ipad 

"And call the American Ambassedor we do need to confirm the dates for the Presidents visit to the Louvre at some point"

"Yes Sir and we do have confirmation from the Japanese Ambassedor that he will available for a conference on Friday" 

"Excellent" Richelieu said sitting himself down behind his desk and let out a deep sigh steepling his fingers against his forehead 

"Rough day?" Milady asked from the chaise making no attempts to move 

"Say what you have to say and leave" Richelieu said without opening his eyes 

Milady narrowed her eyes briefly, feeling even better about playing both sides

"Rochefort wants to me to kill someone in his employ" she said "Some low level thug named Vadim who will be superfluous to his needs after he has completed an unspecified task"

Now Richelieu looked up at Milady "Could he have information?" 

"Maybe" Milady said "I don't know for sure"

"Bring him in" Richelieu said "We'll question him and learn everything we need to"

Milady raised her glass in salute "My pleasure" she said and drank, but not to Richelieu, to her own plan.


	23. Chapter 23

Dressed in black leather trousers, a black vest top, black leather biker jacket, and thick leather soled boots Milady looked the perfect biker chick/rock and roll lover. 

She had chosen her outfit to help her hide in the shadows, and because her jacket was custom made to hide concealed weapons like a knife and a gun both of which she carried about her person.

Her hair she hid under a breton style cap which helped hide her face from view and add to her shadowed appearance.

 

Thankfull that she had not been forced to wear a wire since it would only have complicated matters Milady waited patiently in the shadows for Vadim to arrive.

 

His arrival was announced by the stench of stale beer and sweat which had Milady's nose wrinkling in distaste as she cleared her throat making Vadim freeze and half turn his head towards the sound.

"Vadim I believe?" Milady said quietly stepping out of the shadows and standing behind him, just far enough away to prevent him from being able to spin round and hit her without her knowing in advance. It was always best to be prepared after all.

"Milady de Winter I presume?".

 

Vadim's corse accent did nothing to endear him to Milady, and she fought hard to keep the revulsion off her face as Vadim turned round to look at her.

"Well" he drawled "You are certainly a lot more pleasent to look at than our employer, pity he didn't have you make contact with me from the start, I might have charged less and arranged a different kind of payment!"

Vadim showed his yellow teeth as he grinned at Milady and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

Milady's skin crawled, if she hadn't been going to kill this tosser before she certainly was now!, if for nothing more than just for being a creep!.

 

Apparently believing that Milady was interested in this kind of arrangement Vadim stepped closer to her, no not stepped, swaggered cockily obviously believing that he was far more appealing than he actually was. 

"What d'you say that we go somewhere and spend Rochefort's money hm?" he asked giving a chuckle "A nice hotel?, some drinks.......a bit of fun together?"

Milady forced a smile onto her face and inclined her head as if she were remotely tempted by the offer. 

"Business first Vadim, pleasure after"

Vadim gave a dry laugh "I like a woman with a head for business"

If it wouldn't have given away her character Milady would have rolled her eyes at him, instead she maintained her smile slipped the knife further down her sleeve 

"You placed the....merchandise in the correct location?" she asked sounding indifferent when in fact her heart was beating ten to the dozen 

"Aye under the Louvre jus' as instructed, t'was easy smashin' through that old plaster an moulded brick to open the tunnels"

Now Milady's smile was genuine, The Louvre, the old tunnels of the fourth Henri, perfect. 

"You have done well" Milady said "And now for your reward", she made as if to step back into the shadows to retrieve something, Vadim followed insuite expecting a holdal or something with his money in but as soon as he was leaning forward Milady's knife was in his stomach and slicing through his spleen and all the way up through his aorta right to the breast bone before she pulled the knife out!.

 

Blood spurted in an arch from the wound as Vadim staggered back and fell to the ground clutching futily at his stomach with his hands. Blood poured through his fingers still even as he tried to prevent himself from bleeding to death.

"Why?" he asked spitting blood from his mouth and shaking violently 

Milady shrugged "I'm done serving masters, I'm making my own way in the world now" she said "And you are just one of the first I will use as a stepping stone along my way".

"On....your way...........to what?" Vadim asked panting heavily as his life slipped away from him and pooled a crimson puddle about him "Your.........path to........hell?"

Milady chuckled and leaned down to get close to Vadim, so close she could have caressed his lips with her own   
"I have already been to hell Vadim, I've been living there for years, the path I am taking is leading me out of hell, through purgatory, and finally into paradise"

As Vadim's last breath left his mouth Milady kissed a finger tip and placed it against his bloody lips "Give the Prince of Darkness my regards now won't you dear!" she said with a smirk and straightened herself up.

 

She walked deeper into the alley tugging at her clothes as she went and then violently threw herself against the wall so hard that her shoulder nearly popped out of the socket!.

She took her hat off and closed her eyes as she turned to face the wall and made very sure her teeth were parted and her tongue was out of the way before she smashed her face into the wall bloodying her nose and grazing her forehead. 

Grunting and groaning she placed her hate carefully back on her head and got to her feet tiredly. 

"Self defense" she said to herself "I had no choice but to kill him, and he refused to give me any information"

Getting to her feet Milady did not bother to dust herself down her rumpled clothes would add authenticity to her story when she presented herself to Richelieu, and for now she had to appear to be on his side. 

For now only, then her own paradise awaited.

********************

Louvre

 

Milady did not so much as flinch when Richelieu's fists hit the desk with a thump loud enough to echo about the office. 

Instead she sipped her brandy and dabbed her finger tips over the grazing on her forehead. It had stopped bleeding long ago and now rough scabs lay over the flesh which was slightly puffy and swollen with bruising. 

"How the hell did this happen?" Richelieu demanded, he wasn't shouting, he was speaking in a very low voice, but each word was said with the force of a roar and were she less certain of herself and her abilities Milady would have been terrified of what would happen to her. 

Taking a deep breath Milady shrugged "Vadim attacked me, tried to rape me, I had no choice"

"Really?" Richelieu sneered "And yet another man dies by the hands of Milady de Winter, what a lot of blood soaked history you do have madame"

"It was self defense" Milady said again and gestured to her face "I hardly did this to myself"

Richelieu's eyes narrowed at her clearly not accepting the story at face value but as he had nothing to go on, no evidence to contradict Milady's story (For the time being), he had to let things be.

 

Grunting he leaned back in his chair to gaze at her "He told you nothing about the work he did for Rochefort or what our Comte plans?"

"I'm afraid not" Milady said "I do appologise for the inconvenience and I promise I will do all I can to press Rochefort for information"

"Yes I'm sure you will" Richelieu breathed bearing his teeth at her in a cruel imitation of a smile "In fact I insist upon it".

 

*********************

 

Musketeers Garrison

 

Richelieu hated having to admit to fault in himself, finding it in others was fine, he enjoyed that!, but when it came to himself he had to admit to the sin of vanity in believing himself above mistakes. 

Saddly God liked to prove him wrong on occaision.

This was one of those occaisions.

Yet like any good repentant sinner Richelieu acknowledged his faults and sort to rectify his mistakes. Even when it galled him to do so.

 

Now sat in the Musketeer garrison before Treville and his misfits Richelieu had never felt the burden of repentance all the more.

"So", Athos drawled from his position on the couch with d'Artagnan laying over his lap on his belly swinging his legs back and forth and eyeing Richelieu the way a watchful cat does when they are unsettled. The swinging legs could be a twitching tail!.

"You brokered a deal with the daughter of Satan himself and expected her to play by the rules and are now surprised to find that she has been hiding aces up her sleeves all the time" Athos said "I would say I hate to tell you I told you so but I would be lying!", his smile was bitter and filled with frustrated anger which Richelieu could well appreciate under the circumstances

"Stupid!" d'Artagnan hiss bearing his teeth at Richelieu 

Not a cat then, a Dog!, a husky or wolf hound, all sharp features and long limbs!.

"What precisley has she done?" Treville asked drawing Richelieu's attention away from compairing d'Artagnan with animals 

"Killed a man" he said clearing his throat and reaching for the scotch on the table which he had demanded as soon as he'd set foot in this damned garrison, he may be repenting his sins but he wasn't doing it dry!

"Vadim, a............lacky of Rochefort whom she was meant to bring in for questioning", he downed the last of the scotch 

"She claims self defense" he sneered gripping the glass tumbler tight enough to make it creak under the pressure

"She claimed that about my Brother" Athos spat "It's her party line, an attempt at a get out of jail free card"

"Didn't work for her last time though" Porthos grunted from where he was slouched against the wall all dark scowls and hulking muscles looking like he wanted to punch something!

"Worked well enough till we came on the scene" Aramis said turning to look over at Porthos from where he was sat on one of the comfy chairs making the bigger man grunt again "Which is I assume why you have come to us with this problem" he said looked back at Richelieu who rose to get more scotch for himself 

"Is that true?"

Richelieu grit his teeth as set down the scotch bottle very carefully to resist the urge to throw it at Treville's head!, smug bastard was enjoying this far too much!

"Come now Armand!" Treville said a grin on his face "You know what you have to do!"

Bastard, bastard, bastard!.

Richelieu turned round glaring at Treville and all but spat out the words and downed the full measure of his drink to wash them from his mouth as fast as he could!

"I need your help!"

"There, that wasn't so hard was it!?" Treville said smirking obnoxiously and making Richelieu growl under his breath "We'll be happy to help won't we boys?" he said looking to his Musketeers who eyed each other and nodded their agreement but it was d'Artagnan who voiced it 

"Ding dong the wicked witch is dead!"


	24. Chapter 24

The Musketeers split following Milady into shifts and rotated between them so they could contuously tail her without wearing themselves out.

It also worked in favor of her not noticing she was being following, the same person going where she went would eventually become suspicious so four of them following her worked better in that respect to.

 

Aramis took the first shift. 

He was dressed in a bespoke business suite of dark green with a white silk shirt and a silk tie of dark green with pastel green and white embroidery. 

His hair was slicked back with a little gel to give him a more sophisticated look, a gold pin decorated his tie and he wore an elegantly folded silk handkerchief in his top pocket.

The look created the image of a mid thirties Business man/Doctor/Lawyer, someone with a professional white collar job.

He carried a briefcase of italian leather at his side which contained a gun in case he needed to defend himself and he openly wore a mobile head set rather than a discrete wire. 

Since headsets were so popular with people these days there was no need to hide it, as Aramis walked unhurriedly down the street he could easily be mistaken for listening to music or having a conversation with someone, which he was. He was in constant contact with Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan. 

"We are going into Galeries Lafayette Houssemann" He said into the microphone "She must want to do some shopping"

"Or shop lifting!" Porthos grunted 

"Considering what she gets paid I doubt very much doubt that" Athos said with a sigh

"Clouds are candy floss!", this of course came from d'Artagnan along with several giggles!, "I wanna eat them!" he stated "Want the candy floss clouds!".

 

As he went into the Galeries Aramis stiffled a chuckle and fought to keep the grin off his face.

"Honey focus please!", Athos sounded weary as if he had been trying to get d'Artagnan to focus and keep his mind from wandering for quite a while

"He is focused!" Porthos snorted "Focused on the candy floss clouds ain't that right fruit cakes?"

"No cake Want Cake!" came the immediate response

"Thanks Port!" Athos sighed "Now he won't shut up until he gets cake!"

"Chocolate, salted caramel, coffee and walnut, Lemon drizzle, Red velvet!" 

"Looneytoons makes good list!" Porthos laughed 

"We'll get cake when we go home" Athos said "As much as you want", then groaned "Even though you'll be on a sugar high all night as the result!".

 

Aramis listened to the banter between his Musketeer brothers as he watched Milady and appeared to peruse the merchandise on sale without actually purchasing anything.

Milady however bought herself two silk blouses, a knee length leather skirt, some sparkly stiletto heeled sandles, and some very expensive perfume before she left the department stores and went back out on the street.

"She's all yours now Porthos" Aramis said slipping some sunglasses on his face and nodded his head as the BMW convertable rolled past with Porthos behind the wheel now taking over in tailing Milady.

Sighing happily Aramis crossed the road and walked to the end of the street where he was picked up by Athos and d'Artagnan in the 4+4 and settled himself into the back seat as they kept a close but not too close distance with Porthos.

 

Porthos took care not to be obvious about following Milady, sometimes driving on ahead and making a turn to come back on himself, sometimes stopping and parking and watching her continue on down the road to the end of the street before starting the engine and following after her again.

"Hope something interestin' 'appens soon cause I'm gettin' bored!" he grumbled "Watchin' her window shop ain't exactly what I call worth while!"

"You'd rather she blew something up!?" Athos dryly inquired and Porthos heard Aramis giggle 

"I like blowing!" d'Artagnan oh so helpfully put in which sent both Aramis and Porthos into uncontrollable fits of laughter at Athos's expense!

"One day love we are going to have to talk about acceptable things to say and not to say!" Athos sighed pinching the bridge of his nose "That or they'll be putting me in a straight jacket!".

 

Porthos followed Milady for almost ninety minutes before she went into a resturant for lunch at which point he drove round the corner and parked up with Athos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan joining him.

"What d'you say we get some take out?" he said slipping into the 4+4 "She's stuffin' 'er face why don't we do the same?!"

Aramis nodded "I could eat"

"Cake, cake, cake!" was d'Artagnan's contribution 

"Okay I'll go and get us something" Athos said tossing the car keys to Aramis who caught them deftly in one hand "Don't let d'Art drive!" he ordered and grinned as d'Artagnan promptly shrieked and jumped into the drivers seat grabbing the wheel and made driving noises loudly!.

 

Athos went into the same resturant as Milady and carefully kept his back to her so she wouldn't see him properly and discretely inquired if he could place an order for food to go, fortunately he could he quickly ordered three tuna salad nicoise, three fresh crusty rolls, and three bottles of orange juice. This covered himself, Aramis, and Porthos for lunch, for d'Artagnan however he chose differently.

He ordered a fresh fruit salad (He was trying to introduce fresh food to d'Artagnan's diet to supliment the sugar), a slice of black forrest gateau, and a carton of chocolate milk.

He was collecting the food and paying when Milady was served her starter of onion soup. 

Figuring they would have a while before she was on the move again he took his time paying and headed back out down the road to the car shooing d'Artagnan out of the drivers seat so he could get in.

"Now you have to eat all your fruit before you get cake!" he said very seriously to d'Artagnan who pouted and blew a raspberry 

"Ohh 'Thos!" Porthos laughed slapping Athos's seat "How can you be so mean!?"

Athos sent him a glare via the rear view mirror and shoved his lunch at him "Fill your mouth up with that and quite talking!" he grunted

"I could fill it with something else!" Aramis snickered wickedly as he took his own salad and snorted as d'Artagnan spat a slice of pear out of the car window! 

"D'Art!" Athos admonished 

"Yuky devil fruits!" 

"Ha you tell 'im fruitcakes!" Porthos laughed digging into his salad "Dontcha let 'im make you eat any devil fruits at all!"

Athos shot a death glare over his shoulder to which Porthos responded by biting an olive with his front teeth and grinned without any sign of repentance!.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Milady enjoyed a long lunch, indulging in a blue cheese souflee after her soup and a desert of creme brulee and a latte before she paid and left the resturant. 

From here she went to a beauty parlour and had a full manicure and pedicure done along with her eyebrows being shaped and having a light spray tan added to her skin. 

d'Artagnan kept an eye on her while she did this, he perched on the roof of the salon having scaled the wall like a monkey and sat watching the street waiting for Milady to leave and hand over the tailing of her to Athos who followed her back to the hotel.

 

"Well that was a day wasted!" Porthos complained as Athos climbed into the BMW "Now what?" he asked thoroughly bored and wanting something interesting to do

"Now we keep a watch on the hotel until she leaves again" Athos said ignoring the groan that Porthos gave at this "We work in shifts, d'Artagnan and Aramis, you and me"

"What?"

"Why?"

"Boring!"

The last of course came from d'Artagnan the other two from Aramis and Porthos.

 

Even though Aramis and d'Artagnan were in the 4+4 Athos swore he could feel Aramis's death glare on the back of his neck and rubbed the skin self consciously   
"It'll keep us from getting distracted" he said 

"Birdies!, pretty birdies!", d'Artagnan clapped his hands and pressed himself up against the glass staring at a pair of pidgeons, the male was courting the female, bowing to her and ruffling his feathers hoping to win her favour as she hopped along the ground looking rather disinterested in his advances!

"Yeah!" Porthos drawled sarcastically "Sure it'll make for less distraction!".

 

****************************************************************************************

 

After a lengthy argument Athos finally relented and agreed that he would work with d'Artagnan while Aramis worked with Porthos on the understanding that they remain professional while at work and not give into "Indulgent desires!".

 

Aramis and Porthos took the first watch in the BMW while Athos and d'Artagnan drove back to the garrison to shower, change, and get some rest before releaving their brothers at midnight.

 

To get a look inside the hotel Aramis, who was still dressed in his stylish suite and would not be at all conspicuous went into the hotel and dined in the resturant for his evening meal. 

"Bloody glad the states picking up the tab!" he said into his now discreet ear wire which was more appropriate for the venue and took a mouthful of stella artois and dug into his crab cocktail   
"The prices in here are unbelievable!" 

Porthos snorted and bit into a slice of his pepperoni pizza which he'd driven and got from a take away, "Yeah thats why you chose some of the pricier items on the menu en'it!" 

Aramis sniffed "I have elegant tastes!"

"Bloody expensive tastes!, cost me a damn fortune t'wine and dine you!"

Aramis grinned and took another sip of his drink to keep it from showing "Oh don't worry about that honey, fancy dining is all well and good but a good wholesome home cooked meal pleases me just fine!"

"Well ain't that good to know" Porthos chuckled licking sauce off his fingers and shifted in his seat "She in the resturant?" he asked meaning Milady of course 

"No" Aramis observed "Probably ordered room service"

"Probably" Porthos sighed leaning forward and fiddling with the radio to find a chanel worth listening to "Do enjoy your lobstar won't you!?"

"Oh I thoroughly intend to!" Aramis chuckled "You know?, I think I could get use to living off tax payers expense!".

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Absalutely nothing happened until an hour after Aramis and Porthos had been releaved by d'Artagnan and Athos who rode up on a Black Shadow. 

d'Artagnan on the back holding onto Athos as no one trusted him to drive himself safely!.

Just past one am Milady left the hotel quietly and unobtrusively. 

She was dressed similar to how she had been when she had met with Vadim so she could blend with the dark.

Leaving the bike parked Athos and d'Artagnan followed after her, keeping far back enough so she wouldn't be alerted to their presence as she made her way towards the Seine and went down onto the banks, carefully she picked her way across the loose stones, wet mud, and drift wood until she came to a mostly concealed hole in the banks brick wall that was fenced with iron bars, two of which had been bent out of shape by the use of a blow torch and hammer to grant access to someone. 

Turning the light on her phone Milady slipped through the space in the bars and stepped into the tunnel.


	25. Chapter 25

Athos and d'Artagnan stopped at the mouth of the tunnel able to see Milady only by the dull glow of her phone in the darkness. 

"We should call this in" Athos said quietly so as not alert Milady 

"Bollocks to that!" d'Artagnan said and immediately set off into the tunnel!

"d'Artagnan!" Athos hissed after him "D'Art.............damnit!" he cursed and hurried after his unstable lover.

 

Milady found herself having to take photos as she walked through the dark twisting passages so she wouldn't get herself lost in what looked to be a labirinth!.

The lack of light didn't help any so the pictures she was taking were a necessity if she wanted to get the hell back out of here with any trouble.

"God I hope it's not much further" she muttered as she headed on down deeper into the tunnels, as she went on she found that the stone work began to change, getting older and shored up with plaster and mortar to make it more stable after several centurys of wear and tear.

 

Further on down into the tunnel Milady began to find rooms leading off from the main tunnel, some with second chambers leading off from the smaller narrower rooms all of which she had check for the explosives since she couldn't be sure how deep she was under the Louvre yet. 

However after several room checks she finally came across what she was looking for, a room stock piled high with enough explosives to not only blow up the Louvre but to level it to the ground completely and probably half the Rue Royal with it!.

"Score!" she whispered to herself with a smirk, now she knew where this was she would know where Rochefort would be coming to place the detonators. An Asshole he maybe but he wasn't totaly stupid he wouldn't risk leaving such a delicate job to anyone else. However this time his diligence would work against him because Milady would be waiting for him and when he placed his detonators he would find himself locked in here waiting to be blown to pieces with the rest of the French Court.

 

Smiling to herself Milady turned to head back out of the side room only to pause as she heard footsteps heading her way.

Cursing under her breath she headed back into the room and hid herself in the shadows taking out her gun but not daring to cock it, with this explosive in here she didn't dare fire the weapon doing so would likely be suicide!.

Hardly daring to breath she pressed herself against the wall and waited for the uninvited guests to arrive.

 

d'Artagnan had quite a head start on Athos when he had first headed into the tunnel and had kept up the fast pace forcing Athos to jog to catch up with him and keep up with him. 

Unlike Milady they couldn't afford to use their phones so they had to rely on the light of her phone to guide them as they followed after her.

Athos wanted to speak to d'Artagnan, wanted to tell him to stop so they could call Porthos and Aramis so they would at least have some back up if needed but with Milady not far ahead of them he didn't dare do so, not wanting to alert her to their presence, 

 

After a good ten to fifteen minutes walking Milady turned into one of the side rooms taking the light of her phone with her so they were left in the dark to find their way.

d'Artagnan it seemed had incredible night vision since the dark didn't bother him in the least. Maybe it was because he spent half the time seeing things inside his own head so that the physical world no longer effected him as he moved from place to place, or it could be the lack of fear thing Athos mused, d'Artagnan had no fear, be it climbing up onto buildings, doing handstands on the balconeys, or running through the dark without knowing what he was going to slap face first into he simply didn't fear anything!.

It was something that the insane and infants had in common, infants did not have the knowledge to fear things which was why they could survive impossible falls without being seriously injured, because they didn't become tense as an adult would knowing that they were going to be hurt.

The insane often were like that, with their minds not functioning in the linier as others they didn't know to fear something.

Athos however didn't have such a gift, he couldn't help but to stumble and tense as they jogged down the tunnel and turned into the side room. 

d'Artagnan of course went in first and Athos didn't realize that anything was wrong until he was tripping over the younger mans body to fall onto the floor scraping his hands and knees!. Struggling to turn round Athos saw Milady's face just before the butt of the gun hit him squarely in the forehead knocking him out cold!.

"And yet two more people dealt with!" Milady said smiling in satisfaction "I really couldn't have done better if I had planned this myself!", she chuckled happily and set about removing the mobile phones from Athos and d'Artagnan so they would be able to call anyone for help.   
Then she set about shifting their bodies from their current position, dragging them by their shoulders and then propping them up against the explosives. While neither were really heavy set men they were grown men so there was no way that Milady could lift either of them up without help, but she could drag and position them and she most certainly could use the ropes which had been dumped on the floor by Vadim when he'd moved the explosives in to tie them both to the explosives.

"Congratulations both of you" she said to them "You can have a cliched romantic death together", the sneering smile dropped from her face and she spat at them "Blown to pieces!", after checking that the ropes were secured she left the room and shut the door, she didn't lock it as she didn't want to alert Rochefort when he came to place the detonators and with d'Artagnan and Athos tied up there was no need to worry anyway....

"Except for the fact the Freak brigade are tailing me" she muttered in annoyance "That is something worry about, I can't exactly have the other two idiots crashing the party now can I?".......but what was she to do about them?, a smile came over her face and rolled the pistol in her hands "Of course" she said to herself "What else is there to do?".

 

***************************************************************************************

 

Musketeers Garrison

 

"Somethings wrong!"

Porthos groaned as Aramis paused in the rather heated making out session they had been enjoying in front of the TV with a Netflix movie playing that they were both ignoring as they focused their attention on each other. Or rather He was focusing on Aramis while Aramis was apparently unable to focus.

"The only thing thats wrong babe is that we haven't got past the foreplay yet!" Porthos said tugging on Aramis's shirt "Now stop worrying about nothing, Athos and d'Art will call if theres something wrong, or fruitcakes will light a dozen fireworks to send us a message!"

Aramis softly snorted at that and reluctantly allowed Porthos to tug him back down and reinitiate their foreplay as he reffered to it, although by the rather demanding errection Aramis could feel pushing against his thigh he doubt they'd remain at this stahe for very much longer!.

Smiling he spread his legs so he was straddling Porthos and rubbed their errections against one another making Porthos groan and tighten his grip on Aramis's shoulders.

Aramis shot him a devilish smile and coyly bit his lip, "Fancy moving this a further on from foreplay baby?" he asked gyrating his hips and grinding their sexes against each other 

"You're a fuckin' tease!" Porthos growled 

"And you love it!" Aramis breathed bending forward as if he was going to kiss Porthos, however instead of kissing Porthos he captured his bottom lip between his teeth and nipped just hard enough to draw a tiny bead of blood making Porthos hiss with the sudden sharp pain 

"Minx!" he growled and flipped them over so he was pinning Aramis down and pushed the others mans arms above his head holding them there with a large fist 

"I think you need some serious disciplin!" he growled undoing Aramis's trousers and tugging them down he grinned to see a lack of underwear "Dirty slut!" he chuckled and fisted Aramis's cock rubbing his fist up and down until Aramis was squirming and moaning beneath him, his cock was slick with precum and he was all but weeping and pleading to be allowed to come.  
Porthos however chuckled darkly and removed his fist grinning at the plaintive moan Aramis gave at the loss.

"Patience!" he instructed sitting up straighter and tugged Aramis's trousers off all the way and began to kiss his way up Aramis's long lean legs that were surprisingly less hairy than one would expect for such a dark haired man. With his tongue he licked a path all the way to Aramis's groin and then paused only breathing warm air over Aramis's cock and balls 

"You're killing me you sadist!" Aramis cried 

"Well they do call it the Little Death don't they!?" Porthos laughed as he undid and removed his own trousers and underwear "Now" he breathed pushing Aramis's legs up settled himself between them "Now lets see if you can see stars!"

Using his spit and Aramis's precum Porthos slicked Aramis up enough to ease the way just enough to take the edge off and then thrust inside him grinning as Aramis cried out loudly as he was stretched and filled, beneath his fist Porthos could feel Aramis's wrists flexing as his hands wriggled wanting to grasp onto something, to hold and caress, but instead he was unable as Porthos kept his hands pinned denying him the pleasure of being able to do anything but lay there and wait for Porthos to stimulate him enough so he came. 

It was a delicious form of torment that Aramis was enjoying even as it felt like he might come apart at the seams if Porthos wouldn't do more than just tease him wickedly and slowly!.

"Please touch me!" he begged without any shame, his cock was right now the centre of his universe and it had been teased to the very brink and then left to dangle on the edge waiting to be pushed over!

"I am touching you!" Porthos laughed thrusting a little deeper this time and making Aramis moan wantonly "I'm touching you inside and out!"

"My cock!" Aramis whined bucking his hips and trying to make Porthos move faster, or deeper or do something other than drive him insane!, however his actions brought him no relief as he forced to endure yet more teasing as Porthos took his precious time in bringing himself to completion, and then, only then when he himself was on the brink did he finally stop tormenting Aramis and took hold of his cock moving his fist in time with his thrusts and bringing them both to orgasm at the same moment.

Aramis did not pass out but he swore that he saw stars flash behind his eyelids as he lay back boneless and sated beneath an equally languid Porthos.

"Never gonna get enough of you pet" Porthos whispered lifting his head and kissed Aramis tenderly 

"Hm give it a few minutes and then go for round two?" Aramis asked making Porthos laugh and shake his head 

"You'll be the death of me!" he accused slowly getting to his feet and reached for the beer he had on the table and frowned when he noticed the can was nearly empty "Want another?" 

"Yeah but in bed" Aramis said stretching and then sitting up "You bring the drinks and I'll get the bed warm?"

"Yes dear!" Porthos teased shutting off the TV and taking the empty cans through to the kitchen, tossing them in the bin he opened the fridge and took out the last four cans from a six pack, "Should get us through the night!" he mused snagging a couple of grapes from a bunch and popping them in his mouth. 

He had just turned to head out of the kitchen when the sound of a gun being fired broke through the air..............


	26. Chapter 26

As soon as the gun was fired Aramis hit the floor on his belly his eyes wide and every muscle tense and ready for a fight.  
All his military training snapped back in a second making him ready to react.

No further shots followed the first but Aramis was not letting his guard down for a second.

Moving like a comando under wire he shuffled across the floor on his belly grabbing a pair of sweat pants, a vest top, and a pair of trainers which he shoved on his body, then checking under the door he swiftly pulled himself up into a crouch and began to hurry towards the gun safe as fast as he could while keeping low to the ground and checking every corner and every shadow as he made his way across the landing towards the stairs.

Pausing there at the top of the stairs Aramis heard the sound of clicking, of metal against metal, the sound of a lock being picked. Ordinarily he wouldn't have heard this but with his sense on high alert he would have heard a pin drop from down the hall!.

The door lock snapped open and door gave a slight creak as it opened. 

Aramis quieted his breathing and descended the stairs on his tip toes with his knees bent so he could stay low.

Straining his ears he listened out as hard as he could for the sounds of the intruder, and for Porthos.

Was Porthos still alive?, was he hurt?, either way Aramis couldn't afford to worry about that right now, he had to secure the perimiter, had to get a weapon and deal with the intruder, then he could find and help Porthos..............., if he could still be helped.

 

Very quietly he padded across the hall floor to the living room door which was slightly ajar and peaked inside the room. The lights were out so the room was in shadow making it hard for him to see anything, however that worked to his advantage, if he couldn't see then whomever else was in here couldn't see either. 

Very, very quietly Aramis pushed the door a little further open and slipped into the room, very swiftly he threw himself across the room taking cover behind the couch and nearly let out a yelp as he thumped into another person who's blood wet hand clamped over his mouth and a voice whispered into his ear.

"Stay quiet we need t'reach the guns!" 

Aramis let out a breath as soon as Porthos's hand was taken from his mouth "You're alright?"

"No I'm bloody shot you muppet!" Porthos hissed back "I'm alive though and I intend to stay that way so we have reach the guns right now!"

Aramis nodded his head "Lets do this"

Porthos grunted quietly and looked round the sofa "Follow me and stay low, I'll take point.........."

"I've got the rear" Aramis replied "Now lets deal with this fucker!".

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Milady picked the lock and slipped into the house silently. 

She knew she had shot either Aramis or Porthos through the kitchen window, the light in there had cast a shadow against the blinds which she had fired through, she didn't however know if it was a kill shot, the shadows distorted so it was hard to judge and she wasn't about to leave anything to chance. Besides there was still the other one to finish off anyway.

So as quiet as possible she slipped into the house and began to make her way through the dark rooms. 

Of course the place was silent, neither Aramis or Porthos would be stupid enough to make a whole lot of noise after the sound of a gun firing, they would bot hit the ground and stay low until they had made themselves secure, or died trying. 

The fact she was hunting such worthy prey exhilerated Milady, it was rare she got to hunt equalls as it were and she appreciated the challenge. When this was all over she would remember this night as one of her greatest triumphs, where she defeated four of Frances finest, where she single handedly took down Treville's coverted Musketeers and paved the way for the destruction of the French Monarchy.

Smiling to herself and envisioning herself boarding the plane to America in the wake of the destruction of the Louvre to begin a whole new life far away from here funded with Rochefort's wealth Milady stepped into the kitchen and checked for either Aramis or Porthos.

The light was still on and a puddle of blood shone on the floor with droplets leading away showing that whoever she had shot gad survived and moved off.

Taking a breath Milady slowly made her way to the dining room, she held her gun out first and checked the room as best she could before entering. 

All clear, but the last of the light from the kitchen showed more blood, a little less now, whoever she'd shot had staunched the bleeding either to save his life or to stop leaving a trail. 

The blood drops stopped completely when she reached the dining room door and Milady paused before going through it again checking the area for possible threats.

The house was too quiet, unnaturally so, this made everything else sound that much lounder, that much more intense, even her own heartbeat sounded loud in her ears as she padded through into the living room. 

Now she bent low as there were plenty of places one could take cover and not enough light for her to see without getting close to the corners.

As much as she was enjoying this Milady knew this game of Cat and Mouse could go on all night if she let it and frankly she had no desire to let this go on for so long, she wanted to get this done so she could go back to the hotel, take a swim in the pool to relax, have a soak in the hot tub and then go to bed and sleep in!.

Standing up straight she put her shoulders back and lifted her chin up deciding to get things moving along.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" she called out "I've got something special for you boys, and if you are good boys and come to me without a fuss I'll make sure it doesn't hurt all!", she snickered to herself and headed on through the living room turning the light on as she went

"No more hiding boys!" she called "It's bedtime now and Mummy will get angry if you misbehave!", turning lights on as she went Milady walked, strutted in fact proudly through the house with her head held high firm in her confidence of being able to defeat both Musketeers 

"You know what happens to bad boys?" she asked "Then get shot in the knee caps before in the head, they get made to suffer before they die!", violently she slammed a door open letting it hit the wall with a thud "You don't want to make me angry now do you?".

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Having reached the gun safe Aramis and Porthos quickly selected and loaded weapons ready when Milady began yelling at them.

Aramis looked at Porthos in astonishment "Is she really trying to goad us into a fight?"

Porthos shrugged and regretted the action since it made his shot shoulder ache angrily   
"Maybe fruitcakes madness is catching!" 

Both men jumped as a door was slammed, Milady was starting to get close to them

"Got a plan?" Porthos asked 

Aramis started to give a wry grin only to pause as he looked at Porthos's shoulder and frowned as the first sparks of an idea formed in his mind   
"You know maybe I do" he said with a smile stretching over his face "But I doubt you're gonna like it!".

 

The gymnaisium window would have been a tight fight for d'Artagnan to squeeze through and he was skinny as rake despite the amount of sugar he consumed, so for Aramis it was nothing short of a miracle he managed to get himself through the narrow gap without getting stuck!.

Taking a moment to rub his sore stomach and backside which had been rubbed raw by the squeeze through he grinned to himself "Note to self next time attempting to squeeze through tight spaces lay of chocolate before hand!" 

Jumping up he ran round the house to the front door which Milady had so thoughtfully opened already and let himself in. 

With the lights now on he didn't need to struggle to see where he was going and so headed back down to where the gunsafe was with his favorite sniper riffle cocked and ready.

 

After checking the swimming pool and the gymnaisium Milady finally walked in the weapons lock up and the gunsafe.

Locating the light she illuminated the room and paused as she came face to face to Porthos's prone body laying in a pool of his own blood.

Taking no chances she kept her gun aimed at his head while she surveyed him.

The blood was coming from his left upper torso, she'd missed the heart but may have hit a major blood vessal that had bought him a little time.

A make shift tourniquet was discarded at his side soaked in blood, and there was blood running down the side of his face from his mouth.

Narrowing her eyes she ventured a little closer trying to determin if he was breathing or not. She couldn't tell unless she got closer though.

Checking her rear Milady closed the distance between her and Porthos and knelt down besides him, his chest did not look to be moving, there was an unnatural stillness to his body that suggested death but she could not be certain without feeling for a pulse which she did, very carefully she reached for his throat with her left hand only to have it suddenly seized in a bone crushing grip and found herself staring into Porthos's furious eyes!.

"Game over Bitch!" he snarled and slammed his forehead into the bridge of her nose shattering it with a rush of blood and crunching of bone that made Milady's head spin and her stomach churn!.

With a cry she fell back onto her back side, the force of her fall caused her to fire her gun and narrowly missed hitting Porthos again before he knocked the weapon from her hand and then wrapped his large hands about her throat constricting her air! 

"You're gonna pay for all you've done bitch!" he spat in her bloody face "For Athos, for his brother, for all the people you've fucked over!"

Glaring inspite of her pain Milady hissed like a snake at Porthos and lashed out like a wounded beast!.

With her left hand she clawed at his face aiming for his eye which she only just missed by Porthos jerking his head back just in time, with her right she plunged her fingers into the exit wound of her gun shot and twisted them!.

Porthos roared like a bull stuck with a spear!, his grip on Milady's throat lessened and within a second she had him on his back with a powerful blow to his head and had rolled over to grab her gun again and took aim at his face 

"You can give my shitface husband my regards!" she spat aiming right between Porthos's eyes

Porthos stared down the barel of the gun and felt his heart skip a beat in the second it took for the sound of a gun being fired.

Part of him expected to feel the impact of the bullet as it first entered his skull, then to feel nothing as it traveled on through his brain to blow out the otherside in a mass of bone, blood, and brain matter.

Only what hit his face was not the heated piece of metal he expected but a thick spray of blood!.

Letting out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding Porthos looked up and saw Aramis standing in the door way holding his rifle and panting.

"Took your time didn't you!?" Porthos grunted and rubbed his cheek spitting blood from his mouth "You owe me a tooth too!" 

Shouldering his rifle Aramis grinned and stepped into the room to help Porthos to his feet "My plan worked didn't it?" he defended "Whats a tooth compaired to that?"

"The difference between me wantin' t'put ice on me mug and wantin' to snog you!".

 

Porthos retrieved Milady's gun from the floor and emptied it of bullets then checked her cooling corpse for more weapons before rising back to his feet   
"We should call Treville" he said in all seriousness now "Let him know whats happened"

"Yeah we.............." Aramis paused and paled as he realized something now the excitment was over 

"What?" Porthos asked rubbing his throbbing shoulder and scowling at his own impressive blood loss 

"If Milady came here to kill us and Athos and d'Art were watching her where the hell are they?" Aramis asked 

Porthos froze in place as Milady's last words ran through his mind 

You can give my shitfaced husband my regards!

Looking up at Aramis he met the others mans frightened eyes and let out a shaking breath of fear himself realizing that while they may have saved themselves tonight they might have been too late to save their brothers.


	27. Chapter 27

Within thirty minutes of Aramis phoning Treville had arrived at the garrison along with medics and agents to process the crime scene, get rid of Milady's corpse, and treat Porthos's wound.

"I need eyes on Rochefort, wherever he goes be it to the Louvre, to church, or hell even to the bathroom I want someone watching him!" Treville bellowed into his phone 

"Glad that won't be me!" Porthos grunted as a swab was pressed against his shoulder to staunch the bleeding, Aramis had already made a make shift dressing with what they had the first aid kit but Porthos needed more indepth treatment than his first aid training could provide.

"You and me both" Aramis agreed "I don't want to watch the tosser pissing!"

"Probably wouldn't be much to see!", the two shared a grin that dropped from their faces when Treville turned to them ending his call

"Any word on Athos and d'Art?" Aramis asked hopefully 

"No" Treville replied with a deep sigh "Their bikes were parked outside the hotel, we're pulling CCTV now to try and track their movements, but I would guess that they followed Milady somewhere on foot"

Aramis slumped and gazed at his feet while Porthos hissed as antiseptic was applied to his wound 

"There is also the possibility that they were abducted outside the hotel before she left, if so then we'll be looking for a number plate on a vehicle"

"Assuming the plates hadn't been removed" Porthos said bitterly "And anyone with half a brain would dump said vehicle as soon as possible to avoid detection" he let out another hiss of pain as his arm was lifted so a bandage could be firmly secured 

"We need to take him to hospital Sir" one of the medics said to Treville "For X-Ray if nothing else"

"Forget it!" Porthos said pulling his arm back from them "I ain't goin' no where till my brothers are 'ome!"

"Porthos..." Treville began but Porthos cut him off 

"No!" he snarled "d'Art an 'Thos are the closest I've ever 'ad t'brothers, I ain't abandonin' 'em when they need me the most"

"And I understand that" Treville said remaining calm despite of Porthos's ire "But you need to get that injury checked and treated if you're to be any use to your brothers"

Porthos gestured to the medics with his right hand "What d'you think I'm doing?" he demanded

"Monsieur you need more treatment than we can provide you here" one of the medics said and flinched as Porthos growled at him!

"Porthos be reasonable!" Treville sighed rubbing at a temple as he felt a rapidly growing headache coming on

"Fuck reasonable, I ain't a reasonable kind of guy!"

"Thats for sure!" Aramis said rising to his feet and going to place a hand on Porthos's good shoulder "Baby I know you want to help d'Art and 'Thos I do too, but you've been hit by a lump of metal travelling at a thousand miles per hour, you've bled all over the house, been in a hand to hand with the bitch from hell herself you need to go to hospital!"

"I don't........"

Aramis held up a hand cutting Porthos off 

"You may have suffered fractures to your shoulder blade, you may have internal bleeding, you certainly need that wound cleaning out and stitching, so get your stubbon and very attractive arse to the hospital because you will be no use to anyone if you drop down in a faint due to infection, blood loss, or pain!".

Porthos stared at Aramis then let out a deep exasperated breath in disgust "Is there anyone who don't give me a damn bollockin' in this place?" 

"Not tonight babe!" Aramis said planting a kiss on his forehead "Now pop off down the hospital and get yourself sorted out!"

Porthos grunted and pulled a face at him but said nothing more nore did he continue to put up a fight about going to the hospital 

"Call as soon as they're ready to release you and I'll pick you up" Aramis said as the medics led Porthos to the door to take him to the ambulance, he nodded his head 

"You call if you find something too" he said

Aramis nodded wrapping his arms about himself in a self hugging posture and dropped into a perch on the arm of the sofa suddenly feeling very alone as Porthos was taken away and he was last one left in the garrison. 

He flinched as a hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up to see Treville behind him looking down upon him giving him a friendly and comforting smile 

"We'll find them Aramis" he said softly "Don't give up hope"

Aramis managed a small weak smile and nodded his head while worring his fingers in his lap, he needed something in his hands, something to ocupy them............,inspiration struck and Aramis rose from the chair muttering about needing to grab something to Treville who quickly became distracted by the M.E saying they were ready to remove Milady's corpse which gave Aramis the chance to hurry up to his bedroom and take out his rosary from his bedside cabinate and wrap it about his hand.

Crossing himself he dropped down onto his knees and clasped his hands in prayer 

"Dear God I know we have not spoken often of late, my devotions have been far too brief as I have been caught up in worldly things, but I ask you in all humility that you protect and watch over my brothers Athos and d'Artagnan, that you keep them from harm and bring them safely home to me".

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Athos came too with a throbbing headache and a queasy stomach.

Groaning he lifted his slumped head and blinked owlishly as he tried to recall where he was and what was going on.

Darkness was what greeted him, damp darkness, the smell of old dirt and mould filled his nose and he shivered from the chill in the air that never saw daylight.

Naturally he tried to move only to find he was unable to do so, immediately he turned his head looking to his arms and found them bound with rope to explosives against which he lay along with a shaking and murmuring d'Artagnan who was at his side. 

"d'Artagnan?" he asked 

He got to reply but the murmuring grew louder and d'Artagnan began to rock back and forth as much the bonds would allow him too.  
Wetting his lips with his tongue Athos tried again to gain d'Artagnan's attention 

"d'Artagnan are you alright?, do you know where you are?"

Abruptly the rocking and murmuring stopped and d'Artagnan turned his head to look at Athos who very nearly flinched at the empty expression on d'Artagnan's face which teamed up with luminous eyes made for a rather frightening image to be confronted with in the dark.

d'Artagnan's reply to Athos's question was simple and prescise and it sent Athos's stomach plumiting to his feet as he heard it.

"Hell".

 

d'Artagnan looked away from Athos to continue rocking once more clearly convinced that he was in fact in hell right now and was desperately trying to deal with it.

Athos sighed, this was not the time or the place for d'Artagnan to go into a melt down or a panic attack, he didn't know how stable the explosives about them were, if unstable then the slightest jolt could set the damn things off and they'd be blown to Kingdom come!. He also couldn't move to comfort d'Artagnan as he would have normally done, his restraints proved rather effective in their duty at keeping bound in place.

"Damn her and her knot tieing skills!" he muttered under his breath and was startled when d'Artagnan spoke up without provocation

"We're all damned here, all damned, all dead and gone and soon to be burning!", he sniffed as if he were crying and whispered "I don't want to burn!"

"You're not going to burn d'Artagnan" Athos said tugging again on his ropes in the hope of getting free "You are not dead neither of us are!, we're alive and we are going to remain that way I promise"

"Dead and damned dead and damned, was bad, played in the mud, played in the blood and now I'm damned" d'Artagnan chanted "Didn't mean to, didn't mean it, don't want to burn!", he let out a tragic sounding sob and shuddered all over "If I'm good can I go home?" he asked plaintively "I'll eat the jelly and take the pills and won't be bad no more, don't want to burn, want to go home!"

Athos wasn't sure what was more alarming, that d'Artagnan thought he was in hell or that he thought he was back in that God forsaken institution. He wondered how long d'Artagnan had been sitting in the dark on his own but for his thoughts which had started to torment him cruelly and lead him down into this very unpleasent place in his mind in which he was now stuck.

Somehow Athos had to try and reach him and make him understand that they were not in hell or the institution, that they were alive and would get out of this mess, though at present Athos wasn't entirely sure how they would manage to do that.

 

Speaking practically to d'Artagnan hadn't worked and he couldn't touch him so he would have to try a different approach. He needed to get d'Artagnan's mind focused on something other than morbid or frightening thoughts, get him thinking about things he liked..............something like........

Athos grinned as an idea came to him and he spoke up in a brighter sounding voice making it seem as if there was nothing wrong at all and they were not bound to explosives beneath the Louvre but sitting in a park in the sun without a care in the world.

"Hey d'you think when we get out of here we can go for ice cream?" 

The rocking stopped and d'Artagnan paused as he registered the question 

"I could really do with some ice cream right now" Athos went on verbally tossing out a line for d'Artagnan to grab onto and reel himself back in from the sea of misery he currently waded in   
"Something chocolate I think, maybe phish food or chocolate fudge brownie....but I also love peanut butter cup so perhaps that one.....what d'you think?"

d'Artagnan seemed to consider the question before he turned and looked to Athos, wide eyes glimmering in the dark, 

"Maybe we could have a sundae" Athos offered starting to run out of material here and hoped d'Artagnan would catch on soon "Have all three in one huge sundae dish"

Slowly as if he were waking from a sleep d'Artagnan blinked and somehow opened his eyes widder still before replying   
"With sprinkles and syrup!" 

Athos's sagged in relief against the explosives and let out a small chuckle "You can have as many sprinkles and as much syrup as you want love" he promised "And as much ice cream for that matter", shifting himself he tried to get as comfortable as possible in his current position which was not really very easy to say the least!. His backside was numb and cold, his shoulders were aching from the position they had been forced into and his head was throbbing with the pain of his concussion. 

"Are you alright?" he asked d'Artagnan "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Head hurts" d'Artagnan replied matter of factly "Giant sundae, want huge sundae with chopped nuts and candied fruits too"

"You can have all that" Athos promised "Just as soon as we get out of this dump", looking about them he sighed "Now I just have to figure out how to get us out of this dump!".

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Louvre 

 

Porthos had escaped any fractures and after his wound was disinfected and stitched he was released from the hospital and was picked up by Aramis who drove them both to the Louvre where Treville was in an emergency meeting with Richelieu to discuss the situation. 

Needless to say Richelieu was not happy that Milady was dead, oh he wasn't bothered about her death, it was simply that they had no information from her and couldn't now obtain any since she was deceased. 

"Couldn't you have tried to shoot her somewhere other than her head!?" he demanded of Aramis who gave him a wounded look, "No I suppose not given the circumstances!" Richelieu sighed and ran a hand through his thin grey hair "Damn her, we have nothing to work with!, no idea where she went or what shes done or was planning to do!"

"d'Artagnan and Athos's mobiles were found on her person" Treville said slumped in the window seat of Richelieu's office with a large whiskey in his hand "We can't GPS them and it's clear she was responsible for whatever has happened to them", he took a large gulp of his whiskey and winced as it burned his gullet on the way down 

"They ain't dead!" Porthos declared firmly "I'd know if they were, I'd feel it!"

"Me too" Aramis agreed "Milady must have taken them prisoner, be holding them somewhere!"

"Where!?" Richelieu demanded "And how the hell are we meant to find out now she's a corpse!"

"Check her personl effects or somethin'!" Porthos snarled "Run CCTV, call in pissin' psychics for shit sakes!"

"Her mobile phone and computer are being decrypted right now" Treville said "CCTV is being checked and everyone who was in the hotel or the vicinity last night are being detained and questioned thoroughly. All we can do now is wait"

"Wait!" Porthos spat throwing himself down on the chaise disgustedly "I hate waiting!"

"And Rochefort?" Aramis asked quietly 

"Under surveylance" Richelieu grunted "He can't take a shower without us knowing about it!"

Aramis nodded and lowered himself down to perch on a chair, pushing a hand into his pocket he took hold of his rosary and silently offered another prayer to God to keep his brothers safe and bring them home soon.


	28. Chapter 28

"We've got something!"

Those three words were as precious and powerful as the words I Love You to Aramis when the tech guys came into Richelieu's office panting slightly from having run through the Louvre to get to him.

"About time!" Richelieu snapped

Aramis could appreciate the sentiment as could everyone else, it was midday now, Athos and d'Artagnan had been missed for nearly twelve hours!.

"What have you got?" Treville asked running a hand through his thinning hair and looking older than normal, age was not on his side and fatigue came upon him quicker than it did Aramis and Porthos who were still in their prime

"We decrypted Milady de Winters phone and downloaded all records of contact both to and from" the Tech guy said "She's exchanged texts with Rochefort, he ordered her to kill Vadim, had him deliver something he refered to as Merchandise somewhere first but doesn't say where or what"

He handed the printed out copies of the text messages to Richelieu scoffed at them in disgust 

"This gets us no where" 

"Is there anything to suggest what she might have done with Athos and d'Artagnan?" Aramis asked picking up the pages and flicking through them 

"Well..........there were pictures on her phone memory" the Tech guy said "Photos of somewhere underground"

A hopeful look filled Aramis's face and his eyes shone with hope as he looked at Porthos who gave him a tremulous smile 

"Somewhere underground" Richelieu repeated "That is hardly helpful, there are plenty of places underground" 

Treville shoved past Richelieu and placed a supportive hand on the Tech guys shoulder  
"Can you show us the images?" he asked "It might help us determine a location"

"Of course" 

"CCTV would be good too" Porthos offered "If we can figure out a general location, say within a mile radius then we'll be able to narrow down a search area"

The Tech Guy nodded and hesitated before beckoning for them to follow him to the lab to go and look through the images and see if those going through endless CCTV records had finally found anything useful.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

"You don't own me, I'm not one of your many toys, you don't own me, don't say I can't go with other boys!.

Don't tell me what to do!  
Don't tell me what to say!  
Please when I go out with you  
Don't put me on display!"

You don't own me, don't try and change me in anyway, you don't own me, don't tie me down because I'll never stay

Don't tell me what to do!  
Don't tell me what to say!  
Please when I go out with you  
Don't put me on display!

I don't tell you what to say  
I don't tell you what to do  
So just let me be myself   
Thats all I ask of you!

I'm young and I love to be young, and I'm free and I love to be free, to live my life the way I want, to say and do whatever I please.

You don't own me  
No, no  
You don't own me!".

 

d'Artagnan's tennor voice echoed off the stone walls as he sang You don't own me having been prompted into singing by Athos to keep him from slipping back into a panic attack. 

At least eight hours had gone by since they had been captured by Athos's reckoning, possibly more since he didn't know how long he'd been unconscious for. 

Their disappearence would have been noticed by now, Aramis and Porthos would have alerted Treville and a search would be underway, but while he knew that Athos was not comforted as he knew that where he and d'Artagnan were was not going to be easy to find. 

He and d'Artagnan would not survive down here indefinitely, and not just because of the explosives, they would succumb to a lack of water within three days, five at the most. 

Knowing this, and knowing that he couldn't share it with d'Artagnan who's sanity, or rather fragile stability was hanging by a thread, if it were cut then Athos would have no control over what would happen and no idea how d'Artagnan would react, and no desire to find out, so he kept silent and had bear the burden of this knowledge by himself.

Along with the unrelenting ache in his shoulders from being restrained, the cold chill that had crept into his bones and had him shivering, and the humiliating dampess in his trousers from where he had been forced to release his bladder while still clothed. 

After holding on for six long agonising hours he'd finally been unable to contain it anymore and had simply had to give in and relieve himself despite how disgusting and childish it made him feel.

d'Artagnan had done the same, and had suffered a bad moment of tears and fear of reprimand for having lost control which Athos had needed to help him through to avoid him slipping further into dispair. 

From what Athos could gather d'Artagnan had suffered accidental losses of control with his bladder while he was in the institution, considering the shock treatment and excessive drug regime he was subjected to that was hardly a surprise, but the people who had been meant to take care of him had punished him for those lapses and d'Artagnan remembered and feared those punishments. 

Athos swore through out all those tears and appologies that if he ever got his hands on d'Artagnan's former Doctors then he would make them wish they had never been born. 

However to do that would require them getting out of this alive, and right now, as he rubbed the ropes binding his wrists again he couldn't see a way to get out of this unless they were to have some help. 

 

Sighing he looked over at d'Artagnan who was humming Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody he noticed that the ropes about d'Artagnan's wrists looked slightly looser than his own.

Maybe because d'Artagnan was slighter than he, and more flexible?.

Either way this could be the break they needed to get the hell out of here.

"Hey honey" Athos said drawing d'Artagnan's attention "D'you think if you rubbed the edge of the rope against the case your tied to you could fray it enough to get your hand free?"

d'Artagnan cocked his head rather like a bird as if considering this and then shrugged and began to rub at the rope as Athos had asked and began to sing Heathens as he did!

"At least I don't lack entertainment!" Athos mused and shifted around trying to get some feeling back in his buttocks and resigned himself to sitting there for a while longer yet.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Louvre

 

Aramis rubbed his eyes and his temples which blurred and ached from looking at the computer screens going through the endless images from Milady's phone and the CCTV footage.

"This is taking forever" Porthos grumbled downing the last of his coffee which was the third mug he'd drunk since they'd begun this exercise of bordem

"Well this images are of tunnels, not the catacombs obviously, but somewhere else" Aramis said "And it's not a sewer system so that has to narrow it down"

"Not enough" Porthos muttered sitting back in his chair with a groan

Letting out a sigh Aramis turned to offer him some comfort of a sort or to suggest he went to stretch his legs outside and get some fresh air but Porthos suddenly shot forward and pointed at the third computer screen 

"There!, thats Milady!" he barked flicking the screen with his fingers "Where the fuck is she going though?", 

Aramis watched the screen not even looking away as Treville joined them resting his hands on the back of Aramis's chair. 

Together they watched as Milady made her way along the road and then disappeared from the screen, her body moving off screen as if she were going down steps somewhere.

They continued watching and a short while after Milady had gone Athos and d'Artagnan followed her path and too disappeared from the screen.

"Where is this?, what street?" Aramis asked turning in his chair to look at the tech guys 

"Um...camera 851, thats by the Seine" 

"The Seine?" Aramis repeated "Theres steps that lead down onto the banks don't they?" 

"Of course!", Treville's fist hit the desk as he exclaimed looking equal parts triumphant and self disgusted 

"What?" Aramis asked 

"The Louvre!" Treville said "There are tunnels under here, built as an escape route by one of Louis anciestors, it was said that Louis XVI used them to escape the revolution!", he kicked at one of the desks "Thats where Milady went!, the tunnels were meant to lead out onto the banks of Seine where a fishing boat could easily pick up the royal family and carry them to safety"

Porthos rose from his seat "You sayin' our Brothers are under where we're standin'?" 

"Technically yes" Treville said "But the tunnels were partly sealed up, others have collapsed over time, it's a maze down there and theres no telling where exactly they went"

"Well we can't find out standin' around 'ere" Porthos said "Grab a torch and lets get down there!".


	29. Chapter 29

After about an hour and a half of twisting and rubbing his wrist red raw and bloody d'Artagnan had his right hand free and quickly set about freeing his left hand with shaking fingers.

Athos wasn't sure if they were shaking from anxiety or low blood sugar but supposed it could easily be both considering how long they'd been down here.

With one hand free d'Artagnan was able to free his other wrist very swiftly and then all but pounced on Athos and practically climbed onto his and nuzzeled at him like a cat!.

"Yes love I love you too and I'm very happy you're free!" Athos said as he was kissed, squeezed, caressed, petted, and licked by the over enthuseastic d'Artagnan!

"Sweetheart I'd love to continue this but d'you think you could get me free so we can go somewhere more comfortable to do so?" 

d'Artagnan paused from where had been busily nuzzling at Athos's throat and looked up with a frown   
"And get ice cream sundaes?" 

Athos supressed the urge to groan!, trust d'Artagnan to remember that!

"Of course" he sighed "Just as soon as we're out of here"

He was rewarded with another kiss and d'Artagnan set about getting him free too 

"Ice cream!" Athos murmured shaking his head fondly "I don't know which he loves more, me or ben and jerrys!".

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Aramis did not shriek when a spider landed on his head!.

He most certainly did not squeal like a five year old girl and bat at himself with flapping hands while going round in circles to shake the little bastard off and to rid himself of it's sticky cobweb!.

Grown men who were sharp shooters did not behave in such a fashion at all.

Except when they did!.

But he would deny this occurance until his dying day no matter how many times Porthos repeated the story or how much he laughed with tears rolling down his cheeks at Aramis's expense!.

Flustered, red faced, and thoroughly embaressed Aramis sniffed and drew as much dignity as he could to himself to continue on into the tunnels which they had gone into from the Louvre after Richelieu had shown them the old enterance which ran from the treasury where the priceless crown jewels were kept.

Porthos had gazed at the jewels with Euro signs in his eyes easily working out the price of each and every one if sold on the black market while Aramis secretly wished they had a few minutes for him to try on the crown and maybe one of the necklaces.....!

"Hey if you piss your knickers at a li'l spider how yer gonna manage with rats!?" Porthos asked as they trudged into the tunnels

"It wasn't that little!" Aramis replied grumpily "It was at least the size of my hand!"

Porthos guffawed "It wasn't even the size of your thumb nail!"

Aramis sniffed again pretending not to hear that and instead concentrated on marking their route with a piece of chalk so they wouldn't get lost in this rat.....uh rabbit warren!, yes that was much better Rabbit warren he could handle rat maze he couldn't!.

 

"Okay left or right?" Porthos asked as they came to a fork in the passage 

"Well The Seine's to the left so I'd say we go that way" Aramis replied making another mark on the wall while Porthos used their radio to call into Treville who was monitoring their progress as he was with a team heading in from the enterance on the banks of the Seine, (Once they had it located of course)

"We're turning left now" Porthos said into the radio "Heading towards The Seine"

"Copy that" Treville replied "The second team have found the Seine enterance and are making their way in now"

"Is there a prize for which team finds our brothers first!?" Aramis asked brightly 

"Yes, if you find them first you won't get my boot up your arse!" Treville replied making Aramis pout and Porthos snort 

"You leave his arse along it belongs to me!" he said 

"I, do. not. wish. to. know. that!" Treville ground out "Concentrate on your mission!"

"I can multi-task" Porthos said and grinned in the dark happy to have got the last word!.

 

After several minutes of silence aside from their footfalls and breathing Porthos spoke up again, he wasn't exactly claustrophobic but the lack of background noise mixed with the sensory deprivation of the darkness that was only partially broken by their torches was rather disconcerting and seemed to make their footsteps and breathing sound all that much louder as they echoed in the dust and stale air filled tunnels.

"I ever tell yer 'bout the party we 'ad down the catacombs when I was a lad?" 

"No?" Aramis replied glancing his way but of course could not be seen to do this 

"Yeah I was about fifteen at the time, us an a load of other street kids managed t'knock over a brewery truck of it's merch', an we took all the beer down there wit' us alon' wit' a wicked cd player on battery power o'course and we spent a whole week end down there partyin'!", Porthos grinned at the memory "We had flash lights an those glow sticks and sparklers!, it was really awesome!"

"I can imagine" Aramis said not sure he'd have wanted to party in the catacombs himself, "You'd better not tell d'Artagnan that or he might get ideas!" he added with a chuckle 

"Ah looneytoons'd love it down there, he'd be like a kid in a chocolate factory climbin' all over the place!"

"Exactly!" Aramis "If we take him down there we'd never get him back out!"

Porthos's ensuing laughter echoed off the walls and both continued to smile as they made their way deeper into the darkness.

 

************************************************************************************

 

When fingers had not proven effective enough d'Artagnan had started to use his teeth to free Athos from the ropes and had chewed his way through them biting open his lips in the process to his mouth was smeered in blood that looked black in the darkness and made Athos shudder to imagine what he'd look like in the full light of day!, come to that he doubted he would look much better himself!.

"Come on" he said cupping the back of d'Artagnan's head with his hand and pulling him in for a chaste kiss on the forehead "Lets get the fuck out of here!".

 

With d'Artagnan gripping his hand Athos lead the way to the door and opened it only to stop dead at the sound of voices and the flashing light of a torch.

Pressing a finger to d'Artagnan's lips to let him know he should stay silent he pressed them both back against the wall next to the door and waited.

Slowly but surely the footsteps drew closer and whomever was in the tunnels stopped and opened the door.

Athos tensed waiting for his chance, then as a figure moved into the room he brought his fist down on the back of their necks at the juncture where the neck met the shoulders sending them falling to the floor with a groan!.

"Aramis!"

Athos's eyes widdened in shock as Porthos barelled into the room his torch lighting up the prone body of Aramis whom Athos had unfortunately knocked out cold!

"Oopsie!" d'Artagnan giggled 

"Oopsie!?" Porthos repeated not looking impressed "This it the thanks we get for comin' t'save y'er sorry arses?, a bleedin' concussion!?"

"Yeah sorry about that!" Athos said running a hand through his hair and regretted it as he brushed his fingers over his own head wound "I thought...well....I'll appologise to Aramis when he wakes up"

Porthos grunted grumpily and then sighed "You're gonna have to carry 'im if you're able, my shoulders not fully functional right now", and God did it pain him to admit that!

"What happened?" Athos asked with a worried frown 

"Got shot!"

"WHAT!?", Athos's rather unmanly shriek made up for Porthos's nonchalant response and at their feet Aramis moaned and shifted rubbing his head 

"Wha...'appened?" he mumbled groggily 

"Athos knocked you out like the ungrateful bastard he is!" Porthos cherfully told him and set about helping Aramis to his feet and supporting him as he wobbled dizzily 

"I didn't mean to!" Athos protested "I thought you were Milady or Rochefort!"

Aramis rested his hand on the back of his head when it ached and glared at Athos "Do I have tits!?" he demanded gesturing to his chest with his free hand "Or look like a psychotic tit!?"

"Tit!" d'Artagnan giggled "He's a tit!"

Athos sighed tiredly "Did you have to teach him that word?, you know he's like a toddler with these things!"

Porthos meanwhile walked further into the room and let out a low whistle as he ran his torchlight over the explosives stock piled there   
"Could'a levelled half o'Paris wit' this shit!"

"Tell me about it" Athos said "Rochefort must be planning to do just that. We followed Milady down here but she got the jump on us and we've tied up here since, only just got free thanks to d'Art"

At the mention of his name d'Artagnan made a trilling noise rather like a cat!

"How did you come to be down here?" he asked looking at Aramis and Porthos both of whom shifted uncomfortably not at all sure how Athos would take their news

"Theres quite a lot for us to talk about when we get home" Aramis said quietly "Port?, you should radio Treville, let him know we've got Athos and d'Art and tell him about the explosives down here"

"Gotcha" Porthos said "Yeah we'll let team two handle that and get on 'ome, don' know 'bout the rest o'yer but I could do wit' a drink or three!".

 

***************************************************************************************

 

Garrison

 

A couple of hours and several medical examinations later the Musketeers along with Treville sat in the living room of the garrison nursing their drink of choice.

Athos had a glass of merlot, Aramis a glass of pinot grigio, Porthos a beer, Treville a neat scotch, and d'Artagnan a chocolate milkshake!.

Luckily aside from concussions and mild exposure neither Athos or d'Artagnan were in too bad shape and did not need hospitalization. Neither did Aramis though for Athos's benefit made a big fuss about his head ache earning himself rolled eyes and exasperated sighs from his Musketeer Brother!.

Porthos's activities had not donw his own injury any harm so he did not require any further treatment, so they were able to all head home as soon as the medics released them.

 

A dinner of take away pizza, and ice cream to shut d'Artagnan up about it followed and now they sat drinking.

Athos had taken the news of Milady's death in his stride. Any grieving over her had been done years ago, the woman he had loved had been long dead if in fact she had ever existed, this woman had been a stranger to him and could not bring himself to muster a single tear of remorse for her at all, especially since she had harmed his brothers and lover.

The second rescue team had quietly disposed of the explosives putting a large kink in Rochefort's scheme but sadly there was nothing to tie him to them, his bank details which Richelieu pulled were clean and his conversations with Milady held nothing incriminating.

"We have to catch him in the act if we're to arrest him" Treville said "It is the only way now, we have no witnesses to testify against him and he is too important a man to be just arrested on suspicion alone"

"Can't we jus' kill 'im!?" Porthos asked "It'd save bother of a trial!"

Aramis chuckled softly at that but Treville shook his head 

"I wish it were that simple but we need to do this legally, he is after all a Comte"

"He's something beginning with C and it isn't Comte!" Porthos muttered 

Athos sighed as took a sip of his wine before setting it down on the table besides d'Artagnan's milkshake into which he was blowing bubbles with his straw!

"We need to set up a sting operation then don't we?" he said "As far as Rochefort knows those explosives are still in the tunnels, therefore he was planning to put detonators to them, if we catch him in possession of said detonators that tied in with the explosives will be enough to convict him in any court"

"But that means going back down there" Aramis groaned 

Porthos snickered "With spiders!", he stuck his tongue out at Aramis's glare!

Treville nodded his head "I think you're right Athos, that is the only way" sighing he rose to his feet and drained his scotch "You four get some rest I'll let Richelieu know the plan and set the ball rolling, with any luck we'll have this sorted soon once and for all".


	30. Chapter 30

Rochefort was not nervous.

He was not sweating, he was not shaking, he was as calm as ever as he ate his breakfast and drank his coffee.

Anyone else about to plant a detonator in enough explosives to level the Louvre would likely have been sweating heavily and shaking so much they would have looked like they were having a fit!.

But not Rochefort.

His skin was cool and dry, his hands steady and heart rate a healthy seventy beats per minute. 

As far as he knew he had run every possible scenario through his mind and planned for each and every contingency. 

Nothing could now go wrong. 

 

When he had not heard from Milady for a few days he had worried briefly then dismissed the concern figuring she was either laying low or dead. 

He rather hoped for the latter since it would save him the bother of wringing her neck when this was all over and done with!.

 

He had been planning this day for years now, making preparations, gathering intel, manouvering people in place, learning all the secrets of The Louvre, it's hidden passages on secret tunnels which he had spent months opening up for just this purpose. 

His final acts had been to buy the explosives and move them into the tunnels. 

Now was the very last move to be made and then...., he paused and smiled at his own reflection in a mirror in his hallway and straightened his tie "Then we shall be in a brave new world, and I will rule this country myself".

 

With the detonators secured in his brief case Rochefort went out to his car and climbed in placing the briefcase on the passenger seat besides him.

Turning on the radio he snickered as the news report came up already imagining the inundation of news reports that would be flooding the stations in just a few hours time.

He had planned everything down to the last detail and ran through it all in his mind once more as he drove.

He would plant the detonators and set them for exactly two and a half hours from now at which time the gathered dignitaries at The Louvre would be settled in their seats along with The King and Queen for the talks.

He would of course be there himself but would be called away by a phone call that would go to one of the secetaries, a call he had actually pre recorded himself and set up on a computer program. 

That too was timed, the call would be made forty minutes before detonation which would give him more than enough time to get clear of the blast zone.

Once he was clear he would injure himself, a broken arm, a cut on his forehead, bruised ribs, etc, and he would change into an idenitcal suite he had already stashed at the point beyond the blast zone.   
This suite however he had torn up, covered in soot and dust, splattered in his own blood, and even burned a little so it would appear to everyone that he had been caught in the blast.

Since the entire city would grind to a hault in shock at what had happened it would give him more than enough time to make his way back to the Louvre and find himself a place to lay down be "Found" however long later by rescuers.

He would then be the "Lucky survivor" of the terrorist attack, a shining beacon of hope for France that no matter what they would survive.  
He would appear humble and deeply moved by peoples well wishes and astonished when he was elected to lead the country as the most senior Noble and politician left standing.

 

Pulling his car off the main road and into a side street he parked up and made his way to The Seine enterence to the tunnels on foot with the detonators out of the briefcase and hidden inside his suit jacket.

Having been up and down this passage several times already Rochefort knew his way to where the explosives waited and walked confidently down the tunnels with his phone torch lighting the way for him.

As he walked he practised his speach for his very first TV appearance following todays "Tragic event"

"I am deeply honored to be here, all of this, all of your support for me following this horrific act of terrorism moves me more than I can say!.   
How and why I out of everyone in The Louvre that day survived I do not know, I do not think I am more worthy of life and those who tragically lost theirs so suddenly and for no good reason. Alas I can not change that, I can bring them back to life, all I can do is strive to serve my country as well as they would have done so and ensure nothing like this will every happen again".

It was a speach he'd been working on for years, a speach he had planned and looked forward to making. 

While he most certainly did not feel honored or humble to say so would win him endless support.   
"I think Versailles will be the best place for future goverment meetings and will be a very fine home for myself!" he said with a smile "A home fit for a King, this King, King Marc Christophe Rochefort I".

He pushed open the door to the room where the explosives were stored while saying "Long live The King" and jumped about a foot high when a voice said

"Long live King Louis at any rate!"

 

A flash of four torches blinded Rochefort momentarily and out of the darkened room stepped the four damnable Musketeers, each one carrying a P90 which was trained upon him. 

"Looking for something Rochefort?" Athos asked with a slightly smug smirk on his face "Or did you just decide to take a different route to the Louvre today?"  
They had of course been down here since they got the call that Rochefort was on the move that morning.   
They had left the Garrison on their bikes and driven to The Louvre, then used the passage from there to this room to wait for Rochefort's arrival.

"We found the explosives in here days ago if you were wondering" Aramis said "Milady lead Athos and d'Artagnan right to them in fact. I don't think she meant to but hey....never look a gift horse in the mouth right?" 

Rochefort did not reply, instead he eyed each of them and mentally calculated the liklihood of him being able to pull his own gun from inside his jacket and shoot them all before he had a dozen bullets inside him. 

Very unlikely.

"You really thought you would just be able to blow up The Louvre, kill the King and Queen, slaughter God knowsw how many others and come out of this as a hero!?" Athos asked "How were you going to explain your own miraculous survival?, your rather suspicious lack of injuries?"

Now Rochefort snickered "Milady said you weren't very bright" he jibed at Athos "Typical grunt I suppose, all brawn and no brain!"

"Shut the fuck up stinky cheese!", this of course came from d'Artagnan who just had to voice what everyone thought about Rochefort's name and of course the very smelly cheese that shared the name!

"Ah the lunatic!" Rochefort drawled "Having fun outside the padded cell?, I bet those orderlies miss you, or rather miss that tight little ass of yours!"

Porthos growled, a low rumble in his chest and took a menacing step forward, no one bullied his fruitcakes in front of him and got away with it!

"Give it up Rochefort" Athos said "This is the end of the road"

Rochefort sighed deeply and gave them a small quirk of his lips that might have been a smile but was too cold really.   
"You maybe right" he said "But that doesn't mean I can't go out with a bang!",

Quick as a flash he threw himself back into the tunnel and pulled the metal door shut with him giving himself some cover from the volley of bullets that hit a second later. The aged wood provided little protection and the bullets from the P90's tore through it as if it were butter!.

Rochefort however wasn't sticking round, he took to his heels and ran off down the tunnels as fast as he could.

 

"Get after him!" Athos roared as Porthos kicked the door down, it was split in half by the bullets and fell under the force of his kick easily. 

"Which way!?" Porthos bellowed looking left and right 

"d'Artagnan, Aramis head to the Louvre, you and me will take The Seine" Athos shouted shouldering his weapon and running off down the tunnel with Porthos hot on his heels and quickly catching up with him.

 

d'Artagnan ran like lightning and Aramis found himself struggling to keep up and only just managing it as he raced after the lunatic.

Running in the dark didn't seem to slow d'Artagnan down any and Aramis could only pray that he knew where he was going otherwise they'd end up lost in this maze and he'd have to deal with spiders, rats, and God knows what else!.

These thoughts had only just crossed his mind when gun fire broke out and a horrible burning pain sliced through his right thigh!.

 

Aramis hit the ground with a cry and gripped at his leg feeling hot sticky blood on his hands.

"Mis!" d'Artagnan asked pausing at his side and not even pating despite how fast he's run!"

"I'm fine Go!" Aramis snarled, he wasn't angry with d'Artagnan just frustrated and in considerable pain, pausing only a second longer D'Artagnan continued on down the tunnel after Rochefort leaving Aramis to reach under his kevlar vest and rip his shirt to make a bandage. At least his femur hadn't been hit, the pain was not intense enough for a shattered femur which it would have been had the bullet hit, nor was he loosing enough blood for any artery to have been hit, all he had was a flesh wound, a damn painful flesh wound, but a flesh wound non the less.

"I hope d'Art rips his eyeballs out and eats them!" he grumbled in the darkness "I really hope he does!.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Rochefort had been firing blind. 

He couldn't risk a torch anymore and without it he couldn't see his target/targets, so he'd just emptied his clip blindly and hoped to do some damage. 

Dropping the empty clip on the floor he reloaded as he ran on through the tunnels towards the Louvre.

He knew he was finished, he knew his scheme was over, but that didn't mean he couldn't take down Louis with him.

 

When he reached The Louvre Rochefort paused to smooth his hair and adjust his suit and slipped his gun into his pocket so as not to cause a scene as he made his way to the conference hall.

Servants and guards were milling around as usual and paid him no heed as he made his way at a very brisk pace through the elegant halls of the ancient palace.

"All this could have been mine!" he whispered furiously "Should have been, and would have if not for those damn Musketeers!", anger coursed through his veins leaving a bitter taste in his mouth brought on by the failure of his long thought out plans.

His one and only consolation now was to destroy France's monarchy before he himself was destroyed.

 

Two liveried servants opened the guilded doors to the conference hall and Rochefort stepped inside eyeing the crowd of dignitaries already there. 

The King and Queen had not yet arrived but as everyone else had they would not be very far behind, as protocol dictated they would be the last to arrive and the first to leave.

Making his way through the crowd very calmly and quietly Rochefort lined himself ready to take the shots the second they walked through the doors and into the hall.

He glanced up at the clock on the wall imagining he could hear the hands ticking, there was sweat on his temples now and his top lip was damp, his hands were sweaty and shaking, all his previous calm was gone, hell everything was gone!, this was the final show down and since he was going down he was going to make damn sure that Louis and Anne went with him!.

The seconds ticked away, someone coughed, a faint chuckle of laughter to his right, more seconds, someone muttering something in Italian, a full minute went by..

"Their Majesties King Louis and Queen Anne of France" the usher announced bowing and stepping to one side to allow Louis and Anne into the hall. 

Dressed in full ceramonial regalier the King and Queen walked into the hall rather stiffly but then they did have full crowns on their heads which were not easy to wear. 

Rochefort's fingers curled around his gun and slowly he drew it from his pocket holding it at his side and waited for them to get into the perfect position..., straightening his arm he took aim and...

 

The first shot went wide smashing an alabasta vase on a pedistal, the gun was then out of Rochefort's hand and sliding uselessly across the floor!, the very same floor he found himself face down on with someone on his back crushing his sides with powerful thighs!.

"Stupid cheese!, shoot my Mis!" 

Great, just fucking great the lunatic! 

d'Artagnan had torn through the Louvre like a tornado and arrived at the hall a few moments after Rochefort and hurled himself onto the mans back disarming him and pinning him to the ground.

Rochefort roared and with a surge of strength forced his upper body off the floor dislodging d'Artagnan who fell back on his backside but was not down for more then half a second, he flipped himself back up onto his feet and with a spinning kick dealt Rochefort a dislocated shoulder and cracked jaw sending him sprawling once again with a strangled curse.

Dancing on the balls of his feet d'Artagnan circled Rochefort then delivered a round house kick to his face shattering his nose and front teeth throwing him onto his back with a spray of blood!, then like a cat on a mouse d'Artagnan pounced on Rochefort and grabbed his head in vice like hands 

"No one messes with my brothers or baby 'Thos!" he declared and promptly snapped Rochefort's neck with a sickening crack!.

 

By this time of course the majority of dignitaries had vacated the hall, having run the second the gun had fired, Louis and Anne had been the first to get out and were escorted away by six guards for their protection.

Another ten guards now ran to the hall armed and ready to fight however when they got there all they found were Rochefort's cooling body on the floor and the gun before him.

Looking around in confusion then cautiously entered the hall all jumping out of their skin when singing started from above them, and looking up they saw d'Artagnan hanging from a chandelier upside down singing happily 

"You don't own me, I'm not one of your many toys!".

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Ten days later

It pained Richelieu to have to admit that Treville was right about the Musketeer Initiative, he would have rather seen it all blow up in his rivals face than actually work out. 

But they had saved the King and Queen from Rochefort, and in fact the half the worlds dignitaries from certain death, so he was forced, grudgingly, to admit that Treville had been right to form this mismatched nightmarish bunch of drunks, thieves, lunatics, and sex addicts!. 

Louis and Anne were of course deeply grateful and very proud of the Musketeers after the debacle that had nearly cost their lives.

Following Rochefort's attempted assassination the media had gone insane and there had been no way to quiet it, Richelieu had just had to brave the storm and let the story run.

Treville had taken his Musketeers back to their garrison, (Along with a medic to stitch Aramis's leg), and kept them out of the public eye for the first few days to try and let the heat die down a bit.

The Louvre press office had been working over time dealing with the news papers, TV stations, and reporters all wanting the inside scoop. 

Richelieu had been inundated with requests for interviews and had to make several speeches to quiet things down before The King and Queen were ready to make a public address to the nation, which also included a knighting of the Musketeers in reward for their brave service to the Crown.

Gritting his teeth he watched as each one came forward and knelt before Louis who placed the sword on their shoulders and knighted them and pinned medals upon their breasts thanking them profusely for what they had done. 

"You know I hear Hollywood is asking for movie rights about this!" Treville murmured into Richelieu's ear making the man growl 

"Heaven forbid!" he grunted "The last thing those misfits of yours need is bigger egos!"

Treville smirked "Is yours a little dented after being proved wrong?" 

Richelieu glared "Just keep those menaces out of my way" he warned Treville "After all this I never want to hear the words Musketeers every again!"

"...And from this day forward we shall have a public holiday every year in honour of the Musketeers!" Louis declared "It shall be known as Musketeer Day!"

Richelieu closed his eyes and groaned silently, just when he thought his life couldn't get any worse!.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Garrison

 

As cool as it was for Louis to knight them and dedicate a public holiday to them the best celebration the Musketeers could have was a vasta array of junk food, booze, and movies where they could each flop out on the sofas, or in d'Artagnan's case across the back of the one Athos was laying on, and simply chill out in each others company while they watched Lethal Weapon.

"You know we did it" Aramis said rubbing his itching thigh that was healing nicely 

"Did what?" Porthos asked grabbing some doritos and crunching them noisily

"Came together as a team and saved the monarchy" Aramis said "No one but Treville thought we could do it, everyone had given up on us, but he brought us together and we actually did it".

 

The other three men, okay two since d'Artagnan's focus was on icing on a cup cake that he was licking to death, gave this some consideration and slowly smiled 

"I guess we did" Athos said huffing a small laugh "Heres to the Musketeers Initiative, it brought us together, made us....." he paused not wanting to sound too soppy but Porthos had no such qualms and held up his bottled beer 

"Family" he declared "We're family, all for one"

"And one for all" Athos and Aramis finished reaching for their drinks and saluting with Porthos 

"What d'you say d'Art, family?" Aramis asked 

d'Artagnan looked up from his cake with ice on the end of his nose! "Big brother Port, cute brother Mis, cuddly baby 'Thos!" he said brightly and settled back down to continue eating his cake "and Uncle Treville!" he added making the others choke on their drinks, grinning they eyed each other impishly wondering which one of them would get to tell Treville that one!.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of explosives but modern explosives would have levelled The Louvre unlike in canon when there wasn't that much damage done to the building, and no way would d'Artagnan and Athos have survived being blown up and I didn't want to kill them.


End file.
